Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed dozens of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles during the night, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Between 23:00 Moscow time on March 4 and 07:00 on March 5, on-duty air defense units detected and eliminated 76 fixed-wing drones.

The largest number of targets was recorded over the Saratov Region, where 33 drones were shot down. Another 17 UAVs were destroyed over the waters of the Black Sea. Ten drones were intercepted in the skies above Crimea, while nine were downed over the Rostov Region. Four UAVs were eliminated in the Krasnodar Region, two in the Volgograd Region, and one over the Astrakhan Region.

Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin reported that three people were injured as a result of the attacks. Several social facilities and residential buildings also suffered damage, including broken windows.

Drone attacks had begun earlier in the evening. According to the Defense Ministry, between 20:00 and 23:00 Moscow time on March 4, Russian air defense forces destroyed 48 Ukrainian UAVs. Fifteen of them were shot down over the Black Sea, eleven over the Rostov Region, and seven above Crimea. Five drones were eliminated over the Saratov Region and three over the Azov Sea. Two UAVs each were destroyed in the Belgorod and Kursk Regions, as well as in the Krasnodar Region. Another drone was downed in the skies above the Voronezh Region.

Earlier that day, between 16:00 and 20:00 Moscow time, air defense crews intercepted and destroyed 34 drones. Most of them — 21 UAVs — were neutralized over the Black Sea. Five were shot down over the Azov Sea, and three above Crimea. Two drones each were destroyed in the Belgorod Region and the Krasnodar Region, while one UAV was intercepted over the territory of Chechnya.

Russian forces had also been repelling drone attacks during the morning and afternoon of March 4. From 08:00 to 16:00 Moscow time, air defense systems destroyed another 76 UAVs. The largest share — 27 drones — was intercepted over Crimea. Sixteen UAVs were downed over the Azov Sea, fourteen over the Krasnodar Region, and nine above the Belgorod Region. Three drones were destroyed over the Black Sea. Two UAVs each were eliminated in the Kaluga, Kirov, and Kursk Regions, while one drone was intercepted over the territory of the Mari El Republic.