Russia downs 55 Ukrainian drones in overnight cross-border assault
2 Min Read
Russia intercepted 55 Ukrainian drones in a major overnight attack targeting multiple regions, as Kiev escalates its long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory.
-
In this photo released by Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyev's official telegram channel, smoke rises from a place at a substation after a Ukrainian drone attack in Sergiev Posad, Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyev official telegram channel via AP)
Ukrainian forces intensified their long-range drone campaign against Russia with a major overnight assault, targeting multiple regions deep inside Russian territory.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that its Aerospace Defense Forces successfully intercepted and destroyed 55 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) between 8:00 PM on July 14 and 7:00 AM on July 15.
According to the ministry, the drone strikes were concentrated across several fronts: 32 UAVs were neutralized over Belgorod Region, 12 over Voronezh, six over the Black Sea, three over Lipetsk, and one each over Rostov and Kursk Regions. The barrage is seen as part of Kiev’s expanding strategy to carry out increasingly aggressive strikes far beyond the battlefield, with growing disregard for civilian safety.
Ukrainian drone hits Voronezh apartment block in Russia
— RT (@RT_com) July 15, 2025
Attack injures 16, including a child, with two in serious condition — regional governor pic.twitter.com/4oCk59VQAw
This escalation comes amid a broader Ukrainian drone offensive that has intensified in recent months. In early July, drone strikes in Kursk and Belgorod reportedly killed at least five civilians, including a child.
Just days ago, a coordinated Ukrainian drone campaign targeted multiple Russian airbases across five time zones in what was described as one of the largest operations of its kind to date.
The Voronezh Region suffered significant damage in the latest wave of attacks. Governor Alexander Gusev confirmed that sixteen civilians were injured, with thirteen requiring hospitalization for shrapnel wounds and lacerations. "One man is in a coma, and another sustained lung damage," he said, adding that all patients are receiving medical care.
In the Lipetsk Region, two drones fell in separate incidents. Governor Igor Artamonov reported that one UAV crashed in the industrial zone of Yelets, injuring a man who remains in stable condition. Another drone landed near a private home in the Dobrinsky District. "His life is not in danger," Artamonov confirmed.
Yelets, Lipetsk Region, JSC Energiya was attacked again today.
— Freedom State Channel (@wogoa1) July 15, 2025
Voronezh was also attacked tonight, locals report a fire in the Pioneer House area. pic.twitter.com/8e7ZThHl6F
Analysts say the sharp uptick in Ukrainian drone operations reflects a deliberate shift in battlefield strategy, where strikes on Russian cities, infrastructure, and population centers are becoming increasingly frequent. Moscow has condemned these attacks as terrorist in nature and warned of potential escalatory consequences if Western-backed Ukrainian forces continue to target civilians.
Read more: Russian MoD reports dozens of Ukrainian drones downed overnight
