Russia claimed that it had intercepted and destroyed multiple Ukrainian drones over several regions, including Moscow, and neutralized Ukrainian missiles over the Azov Sea.
The development follows Kyiv’s report of a significant drone attack on Ukraine, marking escalated tensions between the two countries.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that air defences downed four Ukrainian drones in the Bryansk, Smolensk, and Tula regions, along with additional drones over the Moscow region. Furthermore, Russian forces claimed to have destroyed two Ukrainian missiles over the Azov Sea, emphasizing the ongoing military confrontations between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine reported shooting down eight out of nine drones on Sunday, following an attack involving 75 drones, primarily targeting Kyiv. These events coincided with the commemoration of Holodomor, a devastating famine in Ukraine during the Stalin era, and a decade since Ukraine’s Maidan pro-EU revolution.
The revolution, which led to the overthrow of a Moscow-backed regime in 2014, preceded Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin continues to view the Maidan revolution as illegitimate, with its offensive last year aimed at altering Ukraine’s government. These historical and political contexts add layers of complexity to the ongoing conflict.