Moscow: Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed 25 Ukrainian drones overnight and into Sunday morning, marking another escalation in cross-border hostilities between the two nations. The drones were reportedly neutralized over the Belgorod and Bryansk regions, both of which lie adjacent to the Ukrainian border.
According to the ministry, 22 drones were shot down over Belgorod, while another three were intercepted in the skies above Bryansk. In both cases, no immediate reports of damage or casualties were issued by local authorities.
Alexander Bogomaz, governor of the Bryansk region, confirmed that the attempted drone attacks caused no physical damage or injuries. “The attempted attack did not inflict any damage or cause any casualties,” Bogomaz said in a statement.
However, in the neighboring Kursk region, also bordering Ukraine, Governor Alexander Khinshtein reported a civilian fatality. “A 69-year-old woman had been killed by an explosive dropped from a drone overnight,” he stated. The incident underscores growing concerns over the increasing use of drones in attacks targeting border communities.
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International news Reuters noted it was unable to independently verify the details provided by the Russian officials.
While both Russia and Ukraine maintain that their military operations do not deliberately target civilians, the ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of thousands, with the majority of casualties reported on the Ukrainian side.
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In a related development, Ukrainian authorities reported earlier on Sunday that a large-scale Russian drone assault — the biggest since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 — struck the Kyiv region. The attack claimed the life of one woman and injured at least three others, Ukrainian officials said.
