Russia Intercepts Over 100 Ukrainian Drones Amid Intensifying Conflict
Drone Interceptions by Russian Defense
Moscow, June 10: Russia's Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that its air defense systems successfully intercepted and destroyed 102 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight, as reported through its official Telegram channel.
The ministry detailed that these 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.
Specifically, 46 drones were downed 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, according to the ministry, as reported by a news agency.
Ukraine's drone strikes led to a temporary halt of flights at all airports serving Moscow and St. Petersburg, although Russian officials confirmed that no damage occurred.
In a related development, Russia executed a significant drone and missile attack on Ukraine from Sunday night into early Monday, deploying 479 drones, which Ukrainian officials described as the largest drone assault since the onset of the conflict over three years ago.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that the attack, which also involved 20 missiles of various types, primarily targeted central and western regions. This offensive is part of a broader Russian summer campaign, as peace talks between the two nations remain stalled.
Ukrainian air defense systems reportedly intercepted 277 drones and 19 missiles during this assault. However, ten projectiles did manage to strike their targets, resulting in at least one civilian injury, although these figures have not been independently verified.
This aerial bombardment coincided with renewed Russian offensives along the eastern and northeastern fronts of the approximately 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) frontline.
On June 8, Russia claimed to have shot down 131 Ukrainian drones within a single day, including 73 outside its main air defense coverage. The Russian Defence Ministry stated that these interceptions occurred over several regions, including Tula, Bryansk, Kaluga, Oryol, Belgorod, Kursk, and Moscow, as well as over Crimea.
Just days prior, on June 6, Russian forces conducted another significant overnight attack on Ukraine, involving both drones and missiles, which resulted in at least four fatalities and numerous injuries.
All four deaths occurred in Kyiv, where an additional 20 individuals were injured, according to 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 that 38 facilities were damaged, including five apartment buildings and five private homes.
During the June 6 attack, Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat stated that Russia launched 407 drones, 38 cruise missiles, and six ballistic missiles, with Ukrainian forces managing to shoot down around 200 drones and approximately 30 missiles.