Russian Defense Ministry Reports Over 100 Ukrainian Drones Downed
Russia's defense ministry announced on Sunday that over 100 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over several regions of Russia overnight. The drones were part of Kiev's cross-border operations which have been intensifying. Despite the defense systems in place, some drones reportedly made it through.
Attempted Terrorist Attack Thwarted
The Russian military and its anti-air defense systems managed to prevent an attempted terrorist attack by the Kiev regime using an aircraft-type UAV against targets within Russia, according to the defense ministry. The majority of the intercepted drones were located over the Kursk region, which has been the scene of Ukraine's cross-border ground assault since August.
The ministry reported that it intercepted or destroyed 110 UAVs, almost half of which were downed over Kursk, located near the border. Other drones were intercepted over the Lipetsk Region, Nizhny Novgorod, and Oryol Regions. One was also downed near Moscow.
Targets of the Drone Attacks
The intended targets of the Saturday night attacks were likely energy infrastructure, military sites, and airports. However, there are reports that some drones penetrated Russian defenses, including an attack on Russia's largest explosives factory located in Nizhny Novgorod.
A source in Ukraine's SBU security service told Newsweek that drones belonging to the agency, as well as Kyiv's special operations forces and its GUR military intelligence arm, struck the Sverdlov plant in the city of Dzerzhinsk overnight. Nizhny Novgorod Regional Governor Gleb Nikitin confirmed on Sunday that air defenses and electronic warfare systems had repelled a drone attack around the "industrial zone" in Dzerzhinsk, but did not specify the target of the attack.
Reports of Drone Attack on Sverdlov Factory
Several Russian Telegram channels reported that Ukraine had targeted the Sverdlov explosives, chemicals, and ammunition factory in Dzerzhinsk. Russia's military has downplayed these reports, stating that "four employees of the fire department located on the territory of the industrial enterprise received minor shrapnel wounds." However, videos allegedly capturing the drone strikes show a large fireball lighting up the night sky over Dzerzhinsk.
Bottom Line
The recent drone attacks and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine raise significant questions about the future of warfare and the increasing use of drones in military operations. It also highlights the potential vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to such attacks. What are your thoughts on this development? Do you think the use of drones in warfare will continue to increase? Share this article with your friends and let us know your thoughts. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
