A drone strike targeted the Caspian Fleet’s base and its command facilities in Russian Dagestan early this morning, local officials confirmed.
The head of Dagestan acknowledged the attack [~1000 km on the map from the nearest Ukraine-controlled territory], which struck a military facility in the region, though the extent of the damage remains unclear.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a drone crash and explode near a military pier where a Project 1234.1 small missile ship was docked. Video footage circulating online appears to show the drone’s impact and subsequent detonation close to the naval infrastructure.
Some sources have suggested that the drones targeted transport vessels suspected of carrying ammunition and drones from Iran across the Caspian Sea.
This morning, Ukrainian attack drones successfully struck Russia’s Caspian Sea flotilla in the port of Kaspiysk, over 1000 km behind the frontline.
Seen here, a Ukrainian drone flies low over the harbor and slams into a row of docked Russian warships. pic.twitter.com/06vbjUfblQ
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) November 6, 2024
The Caspian Fleet is critical for Russia, and any disruption to its operations could have broader implications.
The strike is part of a pattern of increasing drone activity in sensitive areas, as unmanned aerial systems become a preferred tool in asymmetric warfare.