Kathmandu— A fire broke out at the key Russian Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga after a Ukrainian drone strike on Friday, according to Leningrad Region Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko. The northwestern region surrounding St. Petersburg was targeted by 54 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight. While the blaze was extinguished within several hours and no casualties were reported at the port itself, the incident highlights escalating attacks on Russian infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Simultaneously, a strike in Bryansk killed one person and injured multiple others.

Drone Attack Disrupts Baltic Sea Operations

The port of Ust-Luga, which houses a major gas-processing complex and Europe’s largest oil terminal specializing in the transshipment of petroleum products, has been targeted by Ukraine on several occasions in recent months. The latest attack involved 54 drones targeting the Leningrad Region overnight, according to Governor Drozdenko's Telegram post. St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport was also affected, forcing the rescheduling of some flights due to aerial incursions.

Civilian Casualties Reported in Bryansk

In a separate incident on Friday, Ukraine struck a residential building in the city of Bryansk in western Russia, resulting in one death and at least six injuries. Acting Governor Egor Kovalchuk reported that another person was wounded in a drone attack targeting the village of Snytkino. These attacks demonstrate a broadening scope of Ukrainian strikes within Russian territory.

Moscow Claims Interception of Hundreds of Drones

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that it intercepted or shot down a total of 553 Ukrainian UAVs across 19 regions overnight. Moscow has consistently condemned these drone strikes, labeling them as terrorist attacks intended to offset battlefield setbacks where Russian forces claim continued advances. In response, Russia has intensified long-range missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s military infrastructure.

Russian Counterstrikes Target Military Assets

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 14 such counterstrikes have occurred in the past week, targeting weapons production plants, logistics centers, fuel, energy, transport infrastructure, military airfields and ports. These strikes also included 15 oceangoing vessels operating in support of the Ukrainian military – a tanker, seven dry cargo ships, two tugboats, and five patrol boats.

Russian authorities continue to assert that their strikes are directed solely at military targets and infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s forces, while Kyiv has not directly commented on these specific incidents. The situation remains fluid as both sides escalate attacks within the ongoing conflict.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.