Russia reported it shot down 221 drones from Ukraine overnight, describing it as one of the biggest air attacks since May. Over a half of the drones were destroyed over the Bryansk and Smolensk regions, where installations of energy behemoth Lukoil were allegedly targeted, as per the Russian defense ministry.
In the Leningrad region, officials said 28 drones were destroyed. There was also a fire on a ship at Russia’s largest oil terminal, the Baltic port city of Primorsk, but officials said the fire was put out with no damage or leakage of oil.
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In at least nine Russian regions, such as Kaluga, Novgorod, and the Moscow region, interceptions were noted. Moscow authorities reported nine drones were shot down around the capital and that debris had fallen in a number of places, but no one was killed. In Bryansk, however, the regional governor Alexander Bogomaz reported seven individuals, including five civilians, were hurt when a drone hit a bus.
Russian statistics to be independently confirmed, indicate Thursday evening’s attack was one of the largest of four months, with Moscow earlier claiming to have downed a record 524 drones on May 7. To put that into perspective, Kyiv reports
Russian forces have sent more than 800 drones into Ukraine over recent weeks. The attacks were the most intense in the Leningrad region since the start of Russia’s all-out invasion over three years ago. Activity at St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport was temporarily suspended.
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In Ukraine, meanwhile, officials said that two civilians were killed when a Russian glide bomb struck a village in the Sumy border district.
Cross-border drone attacks have become a frequent occurrence. Last month, a constant Ukrainian drone bombardment forced all Moscow airports to temporarily shut down. Ukraine has recently resumed attacks on oil refineries and depots deep within Russia, and Moscow remains constantly engaged in heavy missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure as international efforts toward peace dwindle.
