‘23 Targets Hit Overnight’ – Ukraine Unleashes Wave of Strikes on Russia, Hits Aircraft, Air Defenses, Ammo Ship
AI Analysis
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) conducted a large-scale, coordinated drone strike against 23 Russian military targets, damaging or destroying aircraft, air defense systems, a naval helicopter, and a key oil refinery. The operation demonstrates Ukraine's expanding range and capability to strike deep within Russian territory and occupied regions. This is the latest in a sustained campaign targeting Russian military assets and logistical infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
- Ukraine struck targets in Russia (Taganrog, Yeysk, Ryazan) and occupied territories (Crimea, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Berdyansk, Melitopol).
- Confirmed targets include a Be-200 Altair amphibious aircraft, a Ka-27 naval helicopter (used for anti-submarine warfare and previously tracking Ukrainian drones), Tor and Pantsir air defense systems (16th & 17th destroyed in May alone, 153 since December).
- A joint USF, SSO, and HUR strike targeted the Ryazan oil refinery, a major fuel production facility, causing a significant fire.
- Russian air defenses and electronic warfare systems intercepted some drones, but were not fully effective, indicating evolving drone tactics and potential saturation attacks.
- The attacks disrupted air traffic near Moscow and halted fuel production at the Astrakhan gas plant, impacting Russian logistics and energy infrastructure.
Why It Matters
These strikes demonstrate Ukraine’s increasing ability to project power and degrade Russia’s military capabilities, even with limited conventional resources. The targeting of air defense systems is crucial for enabling future drone operations, while attacks on fuel infrastructure aim to disrupt Russian military logistics and war-making capacity. The sustained campaign suggests a shift in Ukrainian strategy towards a more proactive and asymmetric approach to warfare.
Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) said they carried out a series of coordinated overnight strikes on Russian military facilities and occupied territories, hitting aircraft, air defense systems, logistics hubs and naval assets.
According to USF commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, the operation involved 55 confirmed strikes on 23 Russian military targets overnight on May 15.
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Brovdi said the attacks targeted areas in Russia’s Taganrog and Yeysk, occupied Crimea, as well as facilities in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions. Strikes were also reported in occupied Berdyansk and Melitopol.
Among the confirmed targets were:
The Be-200 Altair is a Russian amphibious aircraft capable of taking off from both land and water. It is powered by two D-436T turbojet engines, reaches speeds of up to 720 km/h and has a range of up to 3,850 km.
It is used for firefighting, search and rescue, environmental missions and transport operations. In transport configuration, it can carry up to 72 passengers or up to 12 tons of water for firefighting.
The Ka-27 is a Soviet-era naval helicopter developed in the 1980s, primarily used for anti-submarine warfare. It can detect submarines at depths of up to 500 meters and at ranges of up to 200 km from its carrier ship.
It has a maximum speed of around 270 km/h and an operational range of 800–900 km. The helicopter can operate both from ships and coastal airfields.
In 2024, the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported that Russia’s Black Sea Fleet used Ka-27 helicopters to track Ukrainian naval drones and landing craft, with aircraft based at Kacha airfield in Crimea.
Brovdi said the destroyed Tor and Pantsir systems marked the 16th and 17th Russian air defense assets eliminated by USF between May 1 and May 15 alone.
He added that since the start of the campaign in December, Ukraine has destroyed 153 Russian air defense systems, including:
Brovdi also confirmed a separate strike on the Ryazan oil refinery, carried out jointly with Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) and the military’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR).
“A separate mass courtesy visit was made to the Ryazan Oil Refinery in conjunction with deep-attack units,” he wrote, adding that “the Kremlin’s refueling unit is following the Tuapse track.”
A large-scale drone attack overnight triggered a major fire at the Ryazan Oil Refinery, one of Russia’s largest fuel production facilities, according to local residents and Russian monitoring channels.
Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said air defense and electronic warfare units intercepted several drones, but acknowledged that falling debris sparked a fire at an industrial site.
The Rosneft-operated refinery, about 460 km from Ukraine’s border, processes up to 17.1 million tons of crude oil annually and is a key part of Russia’s fuel supply chain.
The strike followed another drone attack on energy infrastructure. On Thursday, Gazprom’s Astrakhan gas plant halted fuel production after a fire damaged key processing units, with repairs expected to take weeks or months.
Further explosions were reported in Bryansk, Taganrog and Yeysk, where smoke was seen near a military airfield used by Russia’s 859th Naval Aviation Training Center. Drone alerts also briefly disrupted air traffic near Moscow, prompting temporary restrictions at Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports.
Julia is a Deputy Head of News and correspondent for Kyiv Post who has previously worked as a parliamentary editor, journalist, and news editor. She has specialized in covering the work of the Ukrainian parliament, government, and law enforcement agencies.