Russian air defenses shot down 56 Ukrainian drones overnight
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The Russian Ministry of Defense announces that the country's air defenses intercepted dozens of Ukrainian drones heading toward several Russian regions.
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In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry press service, a Russian serviceman aims a PARS-NU anti-drone gun in an undisclosed location on August 22, 2024. (AP)
Russian air defense systems successfully intercepted 56 Ukrainian drones over multiple regions during the night, according to a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday.
"This past night, air defense systems on duty destroyed 56 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry confirmed.
The breakdown of the intercepted drones includes 11 over the Belgorod Region, 28 over the Voronezh Region, and 17 over the Rostov Region.
The incident reflects the ongoing tensions in the region as drone activity continues to play a significant role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The statement did not specify whether any damage or casualties occurred due to the attempted drone incursions.
During a televised government meeting on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed increased "destruction" against Ukraine, a day after a drone strike targeted a luxury apartment block in the Russian city of Kazan, far from the frontlines, causing damage but no casualties.
The "massive" attack occurred approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the frontier, with dramatic footage circulating on Russian social media showing drones striking the glass façade of the building.
"Whoever, and however much they try to destroy, they will face many times more destruction themselves and will regret what they are trying to do in our country," Putin said.
During a road-opening ceremony via video link with the local leader of Tatarstan, the region where Kazan is located, Putin addressed the strike, which marked the latest in a series of escalating aerial attacks in the nearly three-year conflict.
Nuclear escalations?
The strike comes in light of rapid Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.
Russia has intensified its territorial gains, aiming to secure as much ground as possible before US President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to quickly end the conflict without detailing a plan, takes office.
Putin has previously warned that Ukraine’s decision-making centers, including key military and industrial facilities, could be targeted by Russia’s newest Oreshnik hypersonic missile system if the intensity of the conflict escalates.
Speaking at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Summit in November, Putin described the Oreshnik system as capable of delivering non-nuclear strikes with destructive power comparable to a nuclear attack but without environmental contamination.
