Russian air defense intercepts Ukrainian drones over four regions within its territory, including Moscow, a day after the attack on Kiev.
Just a day after Kiev reported the “largest drone attack” on Ukraine since the invasion of Moscow in February last year, Russian air defense forces have intercepted Ukrainian drones over several regions within their territory, including Moscow.
“Air defense destroyed four Ukrainian drones over the territory of Bryansk, Smolensk and Tula regions,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Russia had previously announced that some drones had been shot down over the Moscow region.
The Russian army said it also shot down two Ukrainian missiles heading toward Russia over the Sea of Azov between the two countries.
Ukraine, meanwhile, said its air defense shot down eight of nine drones over the country on Sunday.
On Saturday, Ukraine said Moscow had fired 75 drones into the country, mostly targeting the capital.
The attack came as Kiev celebrated the Holodomor, the Soviet-orchestrated famine tragedy that killed millions of Ukrainians during the Stalin era.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack an act of “premeditated terror” and said: “The Russian leadership is proud of its ability to kill.”
Ukraine has been attacking Russian territories and the annexed Crimean peninsula with drones for months and launched a counteroffensive in the summer to push back Russian forces.
Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine after the pro-Moscow government of President Viktor Yanukovych was toppled following a popular uprising in 2014.