Russia Claims Nearly 900 Ukrainian Drones Intercepted Overnight
Moscow reports thwarting a large-scale drone attack, as unconfirmed reports indicate a fuel depot fire in the Moscow region.
Russia's Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that its air defenses intercepted nearly 900 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions, the occupied Crimean Peninsula, and the Sea of Azov. Unconfirmed media reports suggested a major fuel depot in the Moscow region was ablaze following the aerial assault, which reportedly resulted in two fatalities.
Ukraine has increasingly utilized domestically developed long-range drones and missiles to strike Russian territory since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion over four years ago. This increased capability allows Kyiv to target Russian soil, a contrast to Russia's traditional air superiority which has resulted in routine aerial attacks on civilian areas in Ukraine.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that 650 drones were directed toward the Moscow region between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, with the majority destroyed before reaching the city. He reported that an additional 105 drones were downed as they approached the capital, and 68 more targeting Moscow were intercepted during daylight hours on Tuesday.
Ukrainian strikes have frequently targeted Russian oil refineries and storage depots. Last weekend, Ukraine claimed to have disabled 51% of Russia's oil refining capacity, a figure that could not be independently verified. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated last week that these attacks had cost Russia approximately 1% of its gross domestic product. Russia, traditionally a top global producer of refined fuel products, has banned diesel exports in response to the Ukrainian strikes, contributing to higher global prices. Earlier this month, former U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukraine to cease targeting Russian refineries.
In related actions, Russia attacked one of the bridges over the Dnipro River in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, according to Mykhailo Semikin, the regional military administration chief. Traffic across the bridge was temporarily suspended. Separately, a nighttime Russian attack on a residential building in Zaporizhzhia wounded five people, and a daylight strike on a warehouse in the city caused a large fire, Semikin reported.
Russian forces have also continued efforts to disrupt shipping in Ukraine's Black Sea ports, aiming to impede the country's vital grain export revenue. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that overnight strikes in the Odesa region targeted an ammunition depot, a bulk carrier in the Chornomorsk port carrying dual-use goods, and port infrastructure in Izmail.