Russia says destroyed 125 Ukrainian drones

MOSCOW: Russia downed 125 Ukrainian drones over its territory overnight, the defence ministry said Sunday, with regional governors reporting some damage but no casualties from the attack.

“125 Ukrainian fixed-wing UAVs were destroyed and intercepted by air defence systems on duty,” the ministry said on Telegram.

Sixty-seven were destroyed over Volgograd region in southern Russia, where governor Andrey Bocharov said falling debris from the drones sparked grass fires but no casualties or damage.

Another 17 were downed over Belgorod region and 17 over Voronezh region, where governor Aleksandr Gusev said several fell on Voronezh city and its suburbs causing fires in two residential buildings but no casualties.

Another 18 drones were destroyed over Rostov region where governor Vasily Golubev said on Telegram: “According to operational information, there are no casualties or damage on the ground.”

Single drones were intercepted over the Bryansk and Kursk regions and Krasnodar, which neighbours Crimea, and three over the waters of the Sea of Azov, the defence ministry said.

Russia has recently announced shooting down Ukrainian drones almost daily in response to what Kyiv says are retaliatory strikes for Russian attacks during its offensive launched in February 2022.