Russia shoots down 53 Ukrainian drones in overnight multi-region assault

Russian authorities say 53 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight during a large-scale attack targeting several regions, with strikes hitting residential areas and industrial facilities.

The Russian defence ministry said air defences intercepted drones over multiple regions in the early hours of August 15, Caliber.Az reports.

Officials reported civilian casualties and damage to property in some areas.

The most serious incident occurred in Kursk, where a drone struck a multi-storey residential building in the city’s Zheleznodorozhny district. Acting regional governor Aleksandr Khinshtein said one woman was killed at the scene, and six people were injured, including a child.

A fire engulfed the top four floors of the building and damaged several cars parked nearby. Rescue crews continued work at the site, and a morning inspection was planned to assess damage to affected flats.

In the Voronezh region, Governor Aleksandr Gusev said air defences destroyed a drone in the sky over the city, with no injuries or damage reported. However, a state of alert remains in place.

Residents of Syzran in the Samara region reported a series of loud explosions shortly before 05:00 local time. Witnesses said flames and smoke were seen near the Syzran oil refinery after air defence systems were activated.

Local reports suggested debris from intercepted drones may have fallen in the area, though officials have not confirmed this.

According to the defence ministry, 13 drones were destroyed over the Kursk region, 11 over the Rostov region, seven over the Samara region, six over the Belgorod region, five over the Oryol region, four each over the Bryansk and Voronezh regions, and one each over the Saratov region, Kalmykia and the Sea of Azov.

Military analysts in Russia suggested the synchronised strikes across multiple directions and the targeting of civilian infrastructure may be intended to cause maximum psychological and economic disruption ahead of the planned Russia–US summit in Alaska.

They claimed the attacks could be aimed at demonstrating Ukraine’s capabilities to Western allies.

By Aghakazim Guliyev