The Moscow Defense Ministry reports the downing of more than a dozen Ukrainian drones in recent attacks on Russian territory.
A combat drone dropped explosives on an electrical substation in a Russian village near the border with Ukraine, while the Russian Defense Ministry reported shooting down more than a dozen Ukrainian drones over Russia’s Belgorod, Kursk and Kaluga regions.
In the Russian village of Belaya, less than 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the border, “a Ukrainian drone dropped two explosive devices on an electrical substation,” Roman Starovoyt, governor of the Kursk region, said on the messaging app early Friday Telegram.
“One of the transformers caught fire. Five settlements and a hospital were cut off from power. Firefighters rushed to the scene,” he said.
“Power will be restored as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Russian authorities said earlier that two Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the neighboring Belgorod region.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow said the first drone was “foiled” at around 5pm local time (1400 GMT) on Thursday. About four hours later, a second drone was shot down.
Russian state news agency TASS later reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, that 10 Ukrainian drones had been shot down over the Kursk region and one over the Kaluga region overnight.
Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian territory in recent weeks, with regions of the country now subject to regular waves of Ukrainian drone strikes that have sporadically damaged buildings, including in Moscow.
While Russian officials have downplayed their significance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated this week that attacks on targets in Russia were increasing.
“We clearly see the areas in which pressure on Russia must be increased so that terrorist capabilities do not grow,” he said in his evening address on Tuesday.
“Sanctions are not enough. There will be more. There will be more Ukrainian actions against the terrorist state. As long as Russia’s aggression continues, Russia’s losses must be felt,” he said.