Russia intercepts 99 Ukrainian drones overnight
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Russia says its air defense systems destroyed 99 Ukrainian drones overnight across seven regions, including Belgorod and Voronezh.
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A view shows a 9K35 Strela-10 (Arrow) air defense system of the 2nd Russian Army Corps of the Southern Group of Forces. (Sputnik/Evgeny Biyatov)
Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 99 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight in what the Defense Ministry described as a major escalation in drone warfare. The interceptions spanned seven regions across western Russia and were carried out between 8:00 pm on May 26 and 7:00 am on May 27, according to a statement released by the ministry on Monday.
"In the period from 20:00 [17:00 GMT] on May 26 to 7:00 [04:00 GMT] on May 27, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 99 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry stated.
The Belgorod region saw the highest number of drones intercepted, with 56 UAVs reportedly downed. In Voronezh, 25 drones were neutralized, and the remaining UAVs were destroyed across Vladimir (7), Kaluga (5), Tula (4), Rostov (1), and Lipetsk (1) regions.
This incident is part of a broader escalation in cross-border drone operations amid rising tensions along the Russia-Ukraine front. Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukrainian forces of targeting infrastructure and civilian areas with unmanned aerial vehicles, while Kiev has not commented on this specific operation.
The scale of the drone interceptions suggests intensified use of UAVs as part of Ukraine’s asymmetric warfare strategy, particularly aimed at pressuring logistical and military positions within Russian territory.
No casualties or damage reported
Moreover, the Russian Defense Ministry has not reported any casualties or damage resulting from the attempted UAV incursions, and no video or photographic evidence of the interceptions was immediately released.
It is worth mentioning that the overnight drone attack marks one of the largest reported single-day interceptions by Russian forces in recent months, underlining both the growing frequency of UAV assaults and the increasing reliance on air defense systems across multiple Russian administrative zones.
Russia’s elite drone unit targets Ukraine’s HIMARS launchers
On a related note, an elite Russian drone unit reportedly destroyed a US-supplied HIMARS launcher near the front line in Donetsk on May 21, marking a significant blow to Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities.
The attack took place just 10 kilometers from Chasiv Yar and was executed using a fibre-optic first-person view (FPV) drone, an emerging technology in Russian drone warfare.
Footage captured the moment the HIMARS system was spotted moving along a dirt road outside Chasiv Yar. The feed from a Russian UAV closed in before cutting out, followed by separate footage showing a powerful explosion that confirmed the destruction.
According to The Telegraph, the launcher’s location, so close to the front, was notable, as these systems typically operate deep behind Ukrainian lines.
