Ukraine's air defense forces shot down or electronically suppressed 117 of the 126 strike drones Russia launched overnight on 12-13 March, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The attack also included one Iskander-M ballistic missile fired from Russia's Rostov Oblast. Nine weapons — the missile and eight drones — struck seven locations, with debris from intercepted aircraft falling on five additional sites.
The assault came from multiple directions: Bryansk, Orel, Kursk, Millerovo, and Prymorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, and the Russian-occupied Crimean airbase at Hvardiyske. Roughly 80 of the drones were Shaheds; the remainder were identified as Gerber and Italmas types. Ukrainian aviation, air defense missile units, electronic warfare detachments, drone units, and mobile fire groups all took part in repelling the attack, the Air Force reported.
Novhorod-Siverskyi
In the Chernihiv border Oblast, a Geran drone struck the center of Novhorod-Siverskyi at approximately 00:22, according to Oleksandr Seliverstov, head of the Novhorod-Siverskyi district military administration, writing on Facebook. The target was a historic building that housed the city library. "While the city slept, Russian drones were destroying books and civilian infrastructure," Seliverstov wrote.
The State Emergency Service for Chernihiv Oblast reported that a fire broke out on the second floor of the two-story building and was extinguished across an area of roughly 120 square meters. Damage extended beyond the library: Seliverstov said approximately 20 residential buildings and administrative structures nearby were also hit. The Chernihiv regional police said the incident was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations under Article 438 of Ukraine's Criminal Code — war crimes.
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast came under almost 20 separate attacks during the night, according to regional head Serhiy Hanzha. In Kamianske district, a 59-year-old woman was injured; a factory, private homes, and vehicles were damaged. In the Nikopol area, a 51-year-old man was wounded and a community cultural center and a five-story apartment block were damaged.
Kharkiv Oblast
Russian forces struck Balakliia in Kharkiv Oblast, the head of the city military administration, Vitaliy Karabanov, reported. Several drone hits were recorded on residential areas of the city, he said.
Odesa Oblast
Russian drones hit port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast on the evening of 12 March, regional governor Oleh Kiper reported. A food warehouse on port territory was damaged. "A fire broke out immediately, which rescue workers promptly extinguished," Kiper said, adding there were no casualties and all relevant services had been deployed to the scene.
Mykolaiv Oblast
Shahed-131/136 drones struck Mykolaiv on 12 March, damaging a transport infrastructure facility, two private houses, and a school roof, according to the Mykolaiv regional administration. No casualties were reported. A similar drone attack on Mykolaiv on the night of March 7 left three people injured and damaged private homes, apartment buildings, vehicles, an office, a private clinic, and gas networks.
