Full Breakdown
Ukraine’s July 25 Long-Range Drone Offensive Hits Russian Military, Logistics and Maritime Targets
7/25/2026, 9:08:14 PM
Core Event: Nationwide Drone Strikes Reach Deep Into Russia
On July 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced coordinated long-range drone attacks across Russia, striking targets up to 1,200 km from the border. The operations hit a weapons-components plant in Kirov, an oil refinery in Tyumen, a Wildberries logistics warehouse in Yekaterinburg, a fuel depot in Rostov-on-Don, and several maritime assets in the Caspian Sea.
Targets and Damage
- Kirov plant – supplies components for Russian weapons systems.
- Tyumen refinery – fire broke out after the strike.
- Yekaterinburg – Wildberries logistics warehouse destroyed.
- Rostov-on-Don – “Grave Stone” multifunctional radar (S-400), a Tor-M2 SAM, a Pole-21 EW complex and two FPV-drone warehouses reported destroyed.
- Caspian Sea – hits on the Filanovsky offshore oil platform (Lukoil), the sanctioned cargo vessel Port Olya 2, the dry-cargo ship Begey, and a Project 12418 Molniya-class missile boat. Both vessels are said to transport military cargo between Iran and Russia and are under Western sanctions.
Official Statements & Responses
Zelensky described the results as “very strong” and framed the operation as “long-range sanctions” in response to recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports. The SBU released the target list, emphasizing air-defence and logistics sites. Russian defence officials said air defences intercepted and destroyed 328 Ukrainian drones overnight on July 24-25, without confirming how many reached their objectives.
Background & Context
Ukraine’s drone campaign has moved from frontline reconnaissance to deep-strike missions targeting logistics, energy infrastructure and maritime supply routes. A July 16 strike on the Engels-2 bomber base destroyed a Tu-95MS, showing the expanding reach of Ukrainian drones. The July 25 effort is part of the “Molochka” campaign, named by commander Robert “Brovdi” Brovdi, aimed at the “shadow fleet” that moves oil, ammunition and drones between Iran and Russia.
Data & Statistics
- SBU confirmed four maritime assets hit in the Caspian Sea on July 25.
- The Rostov-on-Don strike eliminated one S-400 radar component, one Tor-M2 system, one Pole-21 EW complex and two FPV-drone warehouses.
- Since early July, Ukrainian drones have struck 196 Russian vessels (126 in the Sea of Azov, 70 in the Black Sea) and 117 energy facilities (including 11 in occupied Crimea).
Why It Matters
Disabling air-defence radars and logistics warehouses hampers Russia’s ability to protect rear areas and move ammunition to the front. Targeting sanctioned vessels that carry Iranian-origin military cargo seeks to cut a supply line that Moscow relies on for drone and missile components. Damage to the Filanovsky platform and cargo ships could affect Russia’s oil-export revenues.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Ukrainian claims about the Caspian Sea strikes have not been independently verified; Moscow and Tehran have offered no comment. Russian officials have not confirmed damage to the Filanovsky platform or the missile boat, leaving the extent of loss uncertain.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Once again, a plant in Kirov was struck – the one supplying components for the weapons Russia uses to attack our people. That’s about 1,200 kilometers from Ukraine’s border,” — Volodymyr Zelensky, president
