Early Wednesday morning, Russia’s defense ministry reported the interception and destruction of 19 Ukrainian drones and one cruise missile over various regions in western and southern Russia. The announcement came as regional authorities detailed damage from the attacks.
According to the Russian defense ministry, air defense systems successfully downed 11 drones in the Belgorod region, four in the Bryansk region, and one each in the Kursk, Kaluga, and Rostov regions, as well as over the annexed Crimea peninsula. In addition, a Neptune-MD guided missile was destroyed over the Kursk region.
Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov reported that a fire erupted at an unidentified facility shortly after midnight. The blaze was reportedly extinguished within a few hours, with no casualties or injuries reported.
In Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated that the overnight attacks caused minor fires at a commercial building, a residential house, and an apartment complex in Shebekino. Gladkov accused Ukrainian forces of firing six rounds of cluster munitions at these locations.
No damage or injuries were reported in the Kaluga, Rostov, and Bryansk regions. There was no immediate response from the Russian-installed governor of Crimea regarding the attacks on the peninsula.
In response, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian forces launched one cruise missile and 89 Iranian-designed attack drones overnight. The Ukrainian air force described the incident as a significant aerial assault, marking the largest drone barrage against Ukraine in recent months.
The contrasting reports highlight the ongoing intensity of the conflict and the high stakes for both sides in the aerial skirmishes. As the situation develops, further updates on the damage and strategic impacts of these attacks are anticipated.