(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 1,502: RU difficulties protecting long-range infrastructure facilities [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2026-04-05 Russian forces continued long-range drone strikes against Ukraine overnight on April 4 to 5. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 93 Shahed-type, Gerbera-type, Italmas-type, and other strike drones – of which about 60 were Shaheds – from the directions of Bryansk, Kursk, and Oryol cities; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; and occupied Hvardiiske, Crimea.[89] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 76 drones, that 17 drones struck 10 locations, and that drone debris fell at three locations. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian drone strikes hit agricultural, residential, and civilian infrastructure in Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Poltava, and Odesa oblasts.[90] understandingwar.org/... Ukrainian air defenses shot down or suppressed 76 of 93 drones launched overnight on April 5, including around 60 Shahed UAVs. Strikes hit 10 locations, with debris recorded at 3 sites as several drones remained in the air Ukrainian forces have intensified their long-range strike campaign against Russian oil infrastructure within roughly the last two weeks (since the night of March 22 to 23), focusing on the Russian Baltic Sea port and oil infrastructure in Leningrad Oblast critical to Russian oil exports. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on April 5 that Ukrainian forces struck the major oil export port of Primorsk, Leningrad Oblast, overnight on April 4 to 5, starting a fire.[1] The April 4 to 5 strike is the third Ukrainian strike against Primorsk within the last two weeks (previous strikes were overnight on March 22 to 23 and March 26 to 27).[2] Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko acknowledged on April 5 the Ukrainian drone strike on Leningrad Oblast and reported damage to a section of an oil pipeline near Primorsk.[3] The Ukrainian General Staff reported on April 5 that Ukrainian forces also struck the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast (roughly 1,000 kilometers from Primorsk) overnight, starting a fire.[4] Geolocated footage published on April 5 shows Russian air defenses operating near the refinery in Kstovo.[5] NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) data shows heat anomalies at the refinery in Kstovo at around 0200 local time on April 5.[6] Nizhny Novgorod Oblast Governor Gleb Nikitin acknowledged on April 5 the Ukrainian strikes against the industrial zone of Kstovsky Raion and reported damage and fires at two facilities of Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez in addition to damage at the Novogorkovskaya Combined Heating and Power Plant (CHPP) in Kstovo.[7] understandingwar.org/... x Ukrainian drone attacks have damaged storage tanks at Russia’s key Baltic oil ports, Primorsk and Ust‑Luga, causing export disruptions. Satellite imagery confirms up to 40% storage loss at Primorsk. pic.twitter.com/IqTyPAeYlM — Three Men Crew (@Threemencrew) April 6, 2026 The limitations of available Russian air defenses and the challenges inherent in protecting large infrastructure facilities across thousands of kilometers of distance are hindering the Kremlin’s efforts to defend against Ukrainian long-range strikes. The Ukrainian strikes overnight on April 4 to 5 are part of a series of Ukrainian long-range strikes against eight separate Russian oil and defense industrial infrastructure targets in the previous 13 days (since the night of March 22 to 23), including oil terminals at Ust-Luga and Primorsk, Leningrad Oblast, oil refineries in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Kirishi, Leningrad Oblast, Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Oblast, Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, and defense plants in Tolyatti and Chapayevsk, Samara Oblast.[13] The targets that Ukrainian forces have struck span over 1,700 kilometers from Primorsk and Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast to Ufa in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Ukrainian forces have struck some of these targets multiple times during this period, but the geographic dispersion and large sizes of the facilities likely hinder Russian air defense efforts. understandingwar.org/... [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/4/5/2376512/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-1-502-RU-difficulties-protecting-long-range-infrastructure-facilities?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/