All 45 Ukrainian drones over Moscow, Bryansk, Belgorod, Kaluga and Kursk, Russian officials say
Ukraine targeted Moscow on Wednesday in what Russian officials called one of largest drone strikes on the capital since the war began in 2022.
All 11 drones heading toward the capital in the Moscow region were destroyed, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said. In total, Russia said its air defenses downed 45 Ukrainian drones, including 23 over the Bryansk region, six over Belgorod, three over Kaluga and two over Kursk.
"This was one of the biggest attempts of all time to attack Moscow using drones," Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on his Telegram channel, adding that strong air defenses around the capital prevented the drones from striking their intended targets.
Some Russian social media channels shared videos of drones apparently being destroyed by air defense systems, which then set off car alarms.
BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT CLAIMS UKRAINE IS 'PUSHING' RUSSIA TO STRIKE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Russian officials said that air defenses in the capital shot down all 11 Ukrainian drones before they could strike their intended targets. (Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)
In Russia's Kursk region, one person was killed and two were wounded after a Ukrainian drone dropped an explosive device on their car, Acting Regional Governor Alexei Smirnov said on Telegram, according to Reuters.
In this photo provided by Ukraine's 24th Mechanised Brigade press service, servicemen of the 24th Mechanised Brigade fire a" Giatsint-S" 152mm self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Chasiv Yar town, in Donetsk region of Ukraine on Tuesday. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian 24th Mechanised Brigade via AP)
UKRAINE TARGETS RUSSIAN BRIDGES IN MOVE AGAINST MOSCOW COUNTEROFFENSIVE IN KURSK
Ukraine has been attacking Russia with drones, targeting oil refineries and airfields, in an attempt to weaken Russia's fighting potential and also has targeted the capital several times.
This satellite image released by Planet Labs PBC shows fires near the village of Krasnooktyabrskoe in Russia's Kursk region on Tuesday. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue to push into Russia’s western Kursk region while the Russians drive forward slowly in a land conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Kyiv’s incursion into Russia appears to have raised morale in Ukraine and changed the dynamic of the fighting with the Russians, though it is uncertain how long the Ukrainians can hold what territory they have seized in Kursk.