How Did Russia Intercept 102 Ukrainian Drones Overnight?

Moscow, June 10 (NationPress) Russia's air defense systems successfully intercepted and eliminated 102 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles overnight, as reported by the country's Ministry of Defence on Tuesday through its official Telegram channel.

The ministry indicated that the drones were neutralized between 9:50 p.m. Moscow time on Monday and 5:50 a.m. on Tuesday, across various regions in western and central Russia.

Of these, 46 unmanned vehicles were shot down in Bryansk Oblast, 20 in Belgorod Oblast, nine each in Voronezh Oblast and Crimea, four each in Kaluga Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan, three in Moscow Oblast, two each in Leningrad, Oryol, and Kursk Oblasts, and one in Smolensk Oblast, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

The drone strikes from Ukraine have led to a temporary halt in flights at all airports servicing Moscow and St. Petersburg, the second-largest city in the country, although no damage was reported, according to Russian officials on Tuesday.

At the same time, Russia initiated a significant overnight drone and missile offensive against Ukraine from Sunday night to early Monday, deploying 479 unmanned aerial vehicles in what Ukrainian officials described as the largest drone assault since the conflict began more than three years ago.

As per Ukraine’s Air Force, this attack, which also included 20 missiles of various types, mainly targeted the central and western regions. This operation is a part of an escalating Russian summer offensive, amidst stalled peace negotiations.

Ukrainian air defense systems reportedly intercepted 277 drones and 19 missiles, while ten projectiles hit targets, resulting in injuries to at least one civilian. However, these numbers have not been independently verified.

The aerial strike coincided with renewed Russian offensives along the eastern and northeastern stretches of the approximately 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.

Earlier, on June 8, Russia announced it shot down 131 Ukrainian drones within a 24-hour timeframe, including 73 outside its main air defense coverage. The Russian Defence Ministry stated the interceptions occurred over various regions such as Tula, Bryansk, Kaluga, Oryol, Belgorod, Kursk, and Moscow, as well as over Crimea.

Just days prior, on June 6, Russian forces executed another significant overnight operation against Ukraine, involving both drones and missiles, which resulted in the casualties of at least four individuals and injuries to many others.

All fatalities occurred in Kyiv, where an additional 20 individuals were injured, as per Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Ukraine’s emergency services confirmed that three of the deceased were first responders.

The National Police reported approximately 40 injuries nationwide, primarily in Kyiv, Lutsk in the northwest, and Ternopil in the west. They also noted damage to 38 facilities, which included five apartment buildings and five private homes.

According to Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Air Force, during the June 6 attack, Russia launched 407 drones, 38 cruise missiles, and six ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down approximately 200 drones and around 30 missiles.