Russian Defense Ministry Claims Destruction of 85 Ukrainian Drones in Overnight Operations

Early Thursday, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its air defense systems successfully intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones during the night and into the morning.

Initially, the military reported that 81 drones were shot down between Wednesday evening and 6:40 a.m. Moscow time. This number was later revised upward after including four more drones that were intercepted over the Rostov and Tula regions, as well as in the annexed Crimea.

There were no reports of damage or casualties from these interceptions.

Almost half of the drones aimed at the Bryansk and Kursk regions, which border Ukraine. Local officials indicated that there was minor damage but confirmed that there were no injuries or fatalities.

Due to the attacks, airports in Volgograd, Saratov, and Kaluga temporarily halted flights.

In a related development, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that it managed to shoot down 88 out of 104 Russian drones launched overnight.