Russian air defences down three Ukrainian drones near Moscow

Russian air defence units downed three Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow early on Thursday, according to the capital’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. In a post on Telegram, Sobyanin reported no casualties or damage, adding that specialists were analysing the drone fragments at the sites where they landed.

Air defences were also active in other parts of the country. In Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, a drone strike killed one person and injured six others, all of whom were hospitalised with shrapnel wounds, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. A separate drone later injured a resident in a nearby village.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said a total of 48 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over a 3.5-hour period. Of these, 29 were destroyed over Belgorod, 16 over Bryansk, and several more in the Voronezh and Smolensk regions. Authorities in Smolensk reported one additional injury.

As the war enters its fourth year, drone attacks on Russian territory have increased, with both sides denying accusations of targeting civilians.

Moscow launched a massive overnight drone assault targeting four key regions in Ukraine, just as lawmakers in Kyiv worked to approve additional defense funding amid a sharp rise in Russian attacks.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia unleashed 400 long-range drones and one missile late Tuesday, marking the largest aerial assault of the week. Ukrainian air defences managed to intercept or disable at least 345 of the incoming drones.

The surge in attacks comes as pressure mounts on Ukraine’s government to bolster its military resources in the face of escalating Russian aggression.

– Ends