Ukraine Launches Significant Drone and Missile Assault on Russia

In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, the Ukrainian Armed Forces executed a large-scale attack on Russian positions during the night of May 2-3, 2025. Russian air defense systems and the Black Sea Fleet reported repelling this massive offensive, which involved the deployment of 170 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles and three Neptune-MD guided missiles.

The assault, which commenced late at night and continued into the early hours of May 3, saw the majority of the drones intercepted over Crimea—where 96 were shot down—followed by 47 in Krasnodar Krai, nine in Rostov Oblast, and others across Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod Oblasts. Over the Black Sea, Russian air defenses successfully neutralized incoming missiles, while the Black Sea Fleet targeted the UAVs.

Significant explosions were reported in Crimea, particularly in Feodosia and Kerch, where air defenses engaged multiple drones, leading to the temporary closure of the Crimean Bridge. In Krasnodar Krai, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev noted that Novorossiysk faced the most severe impact, with debris from downed UAVs damaging three apartment buildings in residential complexes, injuring four individuals, including two children. Additional damage occurred in Taman, where drone debris ignited a field fire, and in Anapa, where three private homes were affected. At a grain terminal in Novorossiysk, three tanks sustained damage, though no casualties were reported. In the Rostov Region, Acting Governor Yuri Slyusar confirmed that two houses in the village of Tselina caught fire, prompting the evacuation of two adults and two children.

This coordinated assault illustrated a strategic combination of Ukrainian military capabilities, utilizing aircraft-type drones alongside British-made Storm Shadow missiles and Ukrainian Neptune-MD missiles. The Storm Shadow, with a range of up to 250 kilometers, and the Neptune-MD, capable of striking targets up to 400 kilometers away, signify a troubling escalation in Ukraine’s offensive against Russian infrastructure.

Recent patterns indicate a rise in Ukrainian attacks on southern Russian regions, with the Ministry of Defense reporting the interception of 115 drones on April 28, 2025, including 102 over the Bryansk region. The Ukrainian military is reportedly ramping up production of long-range drones like the Chaklun-V, which can carry up to 50 kilograms of explosives and strike targets as far as 1,000 kilometers away. This evolving threat complicates air defense strategies, particularly amid combined assaults involving both missiles and UAVs.