Russian air defence down 126 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions

Russian air defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed 126 Ukrainian drones during the night, the country’s Defence Ministry said.

The ministry confirmed that its on-duty air defence assets carried out the operation, which saw drones shot down over several Russian regions, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

The breakdown of intercepted UAVs is as follows: 64 drones were destroyed over the Volgograd region, 38 over the Voronezh region, 14 over Belgorod, seven over Bryansk, two over Rostov, and one over Kursk.

Shortly before the Russian Ministry of Defence reported the destruction of 126 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Telegram channel SHOT claimed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had launched a large-scale drone attack on Volgograd and its surrounding region. According to another Telegram channel, Mash, one of the targets was an oil refinery in the city, which was reportedly struck by drones.

Drone attacks on Russian territories have been a regular occurrence since 2022, coinciding with the ongoing special military operation in Ukraine. While the Ukrainian government has not officially acknowledged its involvement in these attacks, Mykhailo Podolyak, an Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, indicated in August 2023 that the frequency of drone strikes on Russian soil is expected to increase.

Earlier, a military expert explained that these UAV strikes by Ukraine are part of a broader strategy to apply pressure on Russia and target key infrastructure, thereby intensifying the conflict. As the use of drones continues to escalate, both sides are increasingly relying on unmanned aerial vehicles to gain tactical advantages.

By Vafa Guliyeva