On August 24, 2025, Ukrainian drone attacks targeted Russian energy infrastructure, reducing capacity at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant and igniting a fire at the Ust-Luga fuel export terminal, Russian officials reported, as cited by Reuters. The strikes, part of escalating retaliatory actions, disrupted operations across multiple regions, including Leningrad and Samara.
A Ukrainian drone strike damaged an auxiliary transformer at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, near the Ukraine border, halving the capacity of unit three, per the plant’s press service. No injuries occurred, a small fire was extinguished, and radiation levels remained normal, ensuring public safety. The plant, critical to Russia’s energy grid, faced heightened security following the attack.
In Leningrad, 10 Ukrainian drones were downed over the Ust-Luga port, sparking a fire at Novatek’s fuel export terminal, a key facility processing gas condensate into naphtha, jet fuel, and gasoil since 2013. Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported no injuries, with firefighters working to contain the blaze. The attack disrupted operations at one of Russia’s largest Baltic Sea terminals.
Massive ukrainian drone strikes hit multiple strategic targets. Fires broke out at Novatek’s terminal in Ust-Luga port, powerful explosions shook the Syzran oil refinery, and a transformer was damaged at Kursk nuclear power plant after a drone detonation. Additional blasts were… pic.twitter.com/QxjEQEPrPW
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) August 24, 2025Russia’s defence ministry reported intercepting 95 Ukrainian drones across 13 regions, including Crimea and Samara, where an industrial facility in Syzran was hit, following a prior attack on its Rosneft refinery, per Reuters. Rosaviatsia halted flights at Pulkovo and other airports for hours. Kyiv’s strikes aim to disrupt Russia’s military infrastructure, with 2025 drone attacks up 40% from 2024, per The Guardian.
The attacks follow Ukraine’s strategy to counter Russian offensives, with President Zelensky citing infrastructure strikes as vital to weakening Moscow’s war efforts. As Russia faces $2 billion in energy losses, the conflict’s economic toll grows, urging diplomatic efforts for de-escalation.
