Russian Air Defenses Intercept 69 Ukrainian Drones in Major Overnight Operation
In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russian air defense systems intercepted and downed 69 Ukrainian drones across nine regions and Crimea during an overnight operation, according to the Defense Ministry. This action underscores the continuing intensity of Ukraine’s aerial campaign, which is being met with robust defensive measures from Russia, reports 24brussels.
The operation occurred between midnight and 6:30 a.m. Moscow time, with the number of drones intercepted more than doubling that of the previous night. The Ukrainian drone assaults were particularly concentrated in the Krasnodar, Voronezh, and Belgorod regions, where 21, 13, and 10 drones were respectively neutralized. Additional drones were taken down over regions including Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov, Bryansk, Kursk, and Ryazan, along with four over the Sea of Azov and one above Crimea.
As a precautionary measure in response to the drone threat, civilian flight operations were temporarily suspended at Zhukovsky Airport in Moscow, as well as in Nizhny Novgorod and Volgograd. Normal flight operations resumed shortly after the airspace was secured, minimizing disruption.
This series of drone interceptions illustrates the escalating conflict dynamics and the lengths to which both sides are willing to go to assert control over the airspace as the war progresses, highlighting the ongoing strategic tussle that characterizes the current phase of hostilities in the region.