Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Says Downed 11 Ukrainian Drones Overnight

The aftermath of a drone attack in a Belgorod region village. Vyacheslav Gladkov / Telegram

Russia's Defense Ministry said Thursday that air defense systems had shot down 11 Ukrainian drones over regions in the western part of the country. 

"Tonight, the Kyiv regime attempted to commit terrorist attacks against structures on Russian territory using drones," the Defense Ministry said in a statement. 

"Air defense systems intercepted and destroyed drones over the regions of Belgorod and Kursk," it added, noting that five aircraft had been downed in those attacks. 

Shortly after, the Defense Ministry reported that four more drones had been shot down over the western Belgorod and Voronezh regions. 

In recent months, Ukraine has increased the number of drone and artillery strikes on Russian territory, mainly targeting border regions, but also Moscow, and more recently St. Petersburg.

The deadliest such attack occurred in the city of Belgorod on Dec. 30, when 25 people were killed and around 100 others injured. 

Ukraine's spy chief on Thursday said Kyiv's forces were planning to step up their attacks on Russian infrastructure.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more