Russian air defenses brought down dozens of Ukrainian drones overnight on Monday, including several targeting Moscow, according to the Defense Ministry.
Russian forces intercepted seven UAVs over Belgorod Region, five each over Bryansk and Kaluga regions, four above Crimea, two each over Orlov, Kursk, Voronezh, Ryazan, and Moscow regions, and one over Tula Region, the military has reported. The MOD said a total of 32 drones had been destroyed during the night.
Less than an hour later, the ministry announced that seven more Ukrainian UAVs had been intercepted – four over Crimea, two over Nizhny Novgorod Region, and one over Belgorod.
Several hours after the Defense Ministry’s update, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that Russian air defenses had destroyed seven more drones flying towards the capital. In a series of Telegram posts, Sobyanin said the UAVs had been downed in separate incidents and noted that emergency service specialists were working at the crash sites. He did not report any casualties or damage.
Russia’s Defense Ministry later reported that a total of 20 additional drones had been downed between 7am and 1pm on Monday above Kaluga, Bryansk and Moscow regions, as well as over the Black Sea.
In recent months, Ukrainian forces have intensified long-range drone operations, striking border areas as well as residential zones and infrastructure deep inside Russia. Moscow has responded with what it is calling high-precision strikes on Ukrainian military-related facilities, maintaining that its operations are never directed at civilians.
Russia’s national air defense units regularly report intercepting dozens or even hundreds of drones in a single day, but falling debris has caused injuries, damaged property, and disrupted vital services.
Kiev has been under mounting domestic and international pressure to negotiate a settlement with Moscow. Last week, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky rejected a US proposal to consider territorial concessions in exchange for a ceasefire.
