Russian air defence downs 13 drones across multiple regions

Russian air defence forces successfully downed 13 drones during the night of December 13, targeting several regions across the country. 

The drones were destroyed over the Kursk, Belgorod, Rostov, and Lipetsk regions, Caliber.Az reports referring to the Russian Ministry of Defence.

The Kursk region saw the highest number of drone interceptions, with five drones downed, while Belgorod followed closely with four.

Three drones were downed over Rostov, and one was intercepted over Lipetsk. The details of the drones' origin or intended targets remain unclear.

Meanwhile, the battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk has intensified in recent days, with Ukrainian forces facing mounting pressure from Russian offensives. According to Ukraine's top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the fighting has become "extremely intense" as Russian troops are now only a few kilometres from the city.

In the past 24 hours alone, Ukrainian forces successfully repelled nearly 40 Russian attempts to breach defences around Pokrovsk, the General Staff confirmed on December 12. General Syrskyi reported that the Russian troops are deploying all available units in an effort to break through Ukraine’s defences, adding that his troops are significantly outnumbered.

The conflict in the Donetsk region, particularly around Pokrovsk, has escalated throughout the year as Russia steps up its efforts to capture the entire eastern Donbas area. Russian forces are overwhelming Ukraine's defences with a combination of large numbers of troops and powerful glide bombs designed to destroy fortifications.

Pokrovsk, a vital logistics hub in the Donetsk region with a pre-war population of around 60,000, is one of Ukraine's key defensive strongholds. Its capture would not only severely disrupt Ukraine’s military supply lines but also bring Russia closer to achieving its objective of seizing the entire Donetsk region.

As the battle rages on, Ukraine's defences in Donetsk remain under immense strain, and the stakes continue to rise for both sides.

By Aghakazim Guliyev