Suburb areas of St. Petersburg undergo aerial assault by drones.
In the night of July 23, 2025, the Leningrad region in Russia witnessed a series of drone attacks, targeting areas such as Gatchina, Vsevolozhsk, Kronstadt, and Volosovsky. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported shooting down numerous drones, with initial reports claiming 51 drones were destroyed, while other sources suggest 74 drones were taken down nationally in multiple regions[1][2][3].
The causes of these attacks appear linked to ongoing conflict tensions, with drones likely operated by Ukrainian forces targeting Russian military or infrastructure sites. Similar drone attacks have occurred previously, such as an oil depot in the Rostov region[1].
The impact on air travel was significant. Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg temporarily suspended arrivals and departures to ensure safety, causing over 70 flights to be canceled or delayed[1][2][4]. Temporary airspace restrictions also affected flights to Kaliningrad, influencing schedules at Khrabrovo Airport. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsiya, later resumed operations but continued monitoring airspace restrictions in the region[2][4].
The disruption extended to mobile internet services in St. Petersburg, with communications virtually stopping after the drone threat announcement[1][2].
Regional authorities issued warnings about UAV threats, with Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirming debris from drone shoots fell in the Kingiseppsky district and other areas. An injury occurred when a woman was hit by drone debris in the Lomonosovsky district, and a house fire was reported in connection with the incident[2]. Russia introduced a "Cover" plan in the region to counter ongoing UAV threats, imposing flight restrictions to enhance safety[4].
Charter97.org, a news organisation, provides multiple social media platforms for following: Facebook, YouTube, X.com, VKontakte, OK.ru, Instagram, RSS, and Telegram. However, details about donations to the organisation, such as the bank name, IBAN, SWIFT code, account holder name, and the address for donations, were not provided in the text.
In summary, these drone attacks in the Leningrad region caused significant disruption to air travel and local communications, prompted safety warnings from regional authorities, and resulted in injury and property damage from drone debris and associated explosions[1][2][4]. Locals reported seeing drones in Gatchina, Allerozhsk, Kronstadt, and Volosovsky districts, and explosions were heard across the region.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57984767 [2] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-reports-downing-51-drones-over-leningrad-region-2025-07-24/ [3] https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/07/24/russia-reports-downing-51-drones-over-leningrad-region-a76699 [4] https://www.rt.com/russia/559934-russia-leningrad-region-drones/
- The cybersecurity implications of the drone attacks in the Leningrad region are a growing concern, as the vulnerability of drones to hacking and remote control could lead to similar incidents in the future, posing a threat to technology infrastructure and national security.
- To enhance the security of air travel and technology infrastructure, it is crucial to invest in advanced cybersecurity measures, such as drone detection systems and encrypted communication networks, to mitigate such unauthorized access or attacks in the future.
