Russia continues intercepting Ukrainian drones over its territory

On the night of January 15 to 16, the Russian Armed Forces' air defence forces destroyed 15 drones over the territory of Belgorod Region.

Seven more UAVs were shot down over the Voronezh Region, three over the Tambov Region and two over the Kursk Region, Caliber.Az reports, citing a report by the Russian Defense Ministry.

The regional authorities have not yet commented on the matter. Belgorod and Tambov regions were attacked on January 15. In Voronezh Region, a fire started at an oil depot the same day after a UAV crash. Kursk region was attacked last time on January 11, one UAV was intercepted there. In all cases, no one was injured.

Russia has been actively intercepting Ukrainian drones targeting its territory. For instance, on January 10, the Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting and destroying 16 Ukrainian drones near Chaltyr in the Rostov region. These drones were reportedly part of a Ukrainian attack that also involved missiles targeting a military facility in Russia.

In another instance, on January 11, Russian air-defense systems downed 85 Ukrainian drones across various regions, including the Black Sea and Azov Sea areas. These interceptions led to temporary flight suspensions in several cities for safety reasons.

Additionally, on January 14, 2025, Ukraine launched a significant attack involving drones and missiles on Russian regions, including Bryansk, Saratov, Tula, and Tatarstan. The Russian defence ministry claimed that all missiles were intercepted and 146 drones were downed during this attack.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated significantly on February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The war has led to a substantial displacement crisis, with millions of Ukrainians seeking refuge globally and displaced within the country.

In response to the invasion, Western nations have imposed multiple sanctions on Russia and provided military aid to Ukraine. These sanctions and military aid continue up to date amid the continuing war.

By Khagan Isayev