Downing Dozens of Ukrainian Drones in Various Areas Within Russia

SadaNews - Russian air defense units have downed dozens of Ukrainian drones in various areas within the country, including two near the city of Saint Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia, as announced by government officials.

Alexander Drozdenko, the governor of the Leningrad region surrounding Saint Petersburg, stated on the Telegram app that two drones were shot down in different areas south of the city.

He clarified that there were no reports of injuries or damage, adding that Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg had temporarily suspended flights.

The governor of the Smolensk region in western Russia reported that air defense units downed three drones with no injuries or damage, while the governor of the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine, noted that "several" drones were destroyed.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced the destruction of 42 drones within three hours, including 37 drones in the Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod regions located on the border with Ukraine.

Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks targeting deep within Russian territory, with last month witnessing a large-scale operation called "Spider Web" which targeted Russian bombers at multiple air bases.

The Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russian forces have increased their use of drones to target Ukrainian cities, recording a record number on Thursday evening after launching 539 drones and 11 missiles at Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that his forces succeeded in deploying interceptor drones to shoot down Russian aircraft during the overnight attack.