Mass Drone Attack Sets Fire at Ust-Luga Port as Russia Loses Ka-52 Helicopter in Defense Effort
Russia says it intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones overnight, yet open-source reports point to a major fire at the Ust-Luga commercial port and the confirmed loss of a Ka-52 attack helicopter whose crew was killed while responding.
A night of large-scale Ukrainian drone attacks has brought the war deep into Russian territory, igniting a fire at the Ust-Luga commercial seaport and destroying at least one of Russia’s frontline attack helicopters.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported intercepting 627 Ukrainian drones during a mass strike on the night of 10–11 November, in what it described as a new wave of unmanned aircraft headed north. Open-source channels identified Ust-Luga, a major port facility in Leningrad region, as one of the main targets.
Footage and photos from the area show a fire burning at the Ust-Luga port after the attack. One summary described it as the most serious confirmed consequence of the night’s strikes. The port serves as a key node in Russia’s commercial shipping network.
During the interception attempts over Ust-Luga, Russian forces lost a Ka-52 attack helicopter. Reports say the helicopter went down while repelling an attack on the port and that the crew was killed in action. Another account stated that two Ka-52s were downed during the defense of Ust-Luga, with one crash and both pilots killed confirmed and a second loss still to be verified.
The loss of a Ka-52 matters because it is one of Russia’s most capable attack helicopters and heavily used in operations in Ukraine. Losing aircrew and airframes inside Russian airspace while defending critical infrastructure highlights the cost of countering long-range drone strikes.
For people living around Ust-Luga, the attack turned a distant conflict into visible damage at a large industrial site. For Russia’s military planners, it underscores that key ports in Leningrad region are now within reach of Ukrainian unmanned systems.
In the coming days, observers will be looking for clearer assessments of damage at Ust-Luga, confirmation on the reported second Ka-52 loss, and any changes in air defense deployments or flight activity around major Russian ports as Moscow responds to this strike.
Sources
- OSINT