50 Ukrainian Drones Downed by Moscow Amid Attacks Triggering Fires at Russian Power Stations

 

Overnight, Ukraine launched a series of drone attacks into Russia, targeting its energy infrastructure, as confirmed by the Defense Ministry in Moscow on Saturday.

 

Air defenses in eight Russian regions intercepted and shot down fifty drones, with the highest concentration in the western Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border, where 26 were neutralized. Tragically, two casualties occurred during the onslaught: a woman with a broken leg and the man aiding her, who perished in a blaze sparked by explosions that engulfed their home, as reported by Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on social media.

 

The barrage extended beyond Belgorod, with drones also being destroyed in the Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, and Kaluga regions across western and southern Russia, as well as in the Moscow region.

 

While Ukrainian officials typically refrain from commenting on attacks within Russian territory, the focus of many of these drone strikes seemed to be Russia’s energy infrastructure.

 

Officials in various regions of Russia reported significant damage caused by the attacks. The head of the Kaluga region, Vladislav Shapsha, stated that a drone strike ignited a blaze at an electrical substation, while governors of Bryansk and Smolensk, Alexander Bogomaz and Vasily Anokhin respectively, reported fires at fuel and energy complexes.

 

In recent months, Russian refineries and oil terminals have been primary targets of Ukrainian drone attacks, reflecting an escalation in assaults on Russian territory.

 

Ukrainian drone developers have been enhancing the range of these weapons for months, as Kyiv seeks to offset its military disadvantage in traditional weaponry and troops. Drones offer a cost-effective option while Ukraine awaits further military aid from the United States.

 

Meanwhile, Russia launched seven missiles into Ukraine overnight, with Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepting two missiles and three reconnaissance drones, according to the Ukrainian air force on Saturday.

 

Oleh Kiper, Governor of Ukraine’s Odesa region, reported infrastructure damage caused by ballistic missiles overnight, though specific details were not provided. Previous attacks on the Black Sea city had already inflicted damage on port infrastructure, including two food export terminals, as noted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

 

In addition to infrastructure damage, Russian shelling claimed the life of a 50-year-old man in Vovchansk, according to Oleh Syniehubov, Governor of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. A 60-year-old woman was also injured when shelling struck a nine-story apartment block, he added.