Ministry: Russia shoots down over 20 Ukrainian drones during one night

The Russian Defence Ministry has said that Russian air defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed 28 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions on March 23.

The majority of the drones were shot down over the Bryansk and Rostov regions, Caliber.Az reports via the ministry.

According to the ministry, some 12 drones were downed over each of the Bryansk and Rostov regions. In addition, two drones were destroyed over Crimea, while one drone each was intercepted over the Krasnodar region and the Azov Sea. 

Ukraine started using drone strikes on Russian territory early in the conflict, with a marked increase in activity throughout 2022. The first major instances of Ukrainian drones hitting Russian targets emerged in the summer of 2022. Reports indicated that Ukrainian forces employed both commercially available drones and military-grade UAVs to strike Russian military facilities, logistics hubs, and supply routes. Drone attacks became more frequent and widespread in 2023, as Ukraine increasingly targeted Russian cities and military sites, including those in Crimea and near the Russian border. By 2024 and into 2025, Ukraine’s drone capabilities had advanced significantly, with more sophisticated models enabling longer-range missions.

By Naila Huseynova