Russia says air defences down over 54,000 Ukrainian drones

Russia’s response to Ukrainian attacks on its economic and commercial infrastructure will be “tough,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in comments to Bloomberg.

“But if you are talking about military escalation, we simply do not need it, because we are already moving forward,” Peskov added.

Peskov was responding to reports citing agency sources that Moscow could intensify strikes on infrastructure targets in Ukraine amid a stalemate in peace negotiations.

According to data, Russian air defence forces have intercepted more than 54,000 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions since the beginning of the year. The average number of drones downed daily more than tripled, rising from 116 in January to 425 in July.

The number of Russian regions referenced in Defence Ministry reports also increased during the period, from 36 in January to 44 in July.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries and logistics facilities operated by Wildberries and Ozon have intensified in recent months.

Strikes on Russia’s fuel and energy infrastructure have contributed to fuel shortages, rising prices and longer queues at filling stations.

By Vafa Guliyeva