MOSCOW: Russia said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions and the annexed Crimean Peninsula, describing it as one of the largest drone attacks since the start of the war.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said air defence units successfully repelled the large-scale assault during the night.
“During the night, air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 605 Ukrainian aerial drones,” the ministry said.
One of the targeted regions was Tver, located about 180 kilometres northwest of Moscow. Regional authorities reported that debris from a downed drone caused minor damage to a logistics centre operated by Wildberries, Russia’s largest e-commerce platform.
Tver Governor Vitaly Korolyov said the region’s air defence systems had successfully thwarted the attack. He added that falling drone debris slightly damaged the facade of the Wildberries warehouse, but no casualties were reported.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted facilities linked to Wildberries since mid-July, with several logistics centres reportedly coming under drone attacks in different parts of Russia.
Meanwhile, Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Yevrayev described the overnight assault as the “most massive attack” ever directed at his region, located approximately 250 kilometres north of Moscow.
According to Yevrayev, Russian forces shot down 92 drones over the region. Falling debris sparked fires in residential buildings and damaged several vehicles, though officials did not immediately report any fatalities.
The latest wave of drone strikes highlights the continuing escalation of long-range attacks between Russia and Ukraine. More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, diplomatic efforts remain stalled while both countries continue to intensify aerial strikes deep inside each other’s territory.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in increasing civilian casualties and widespread damage to infrastructure, with both Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of targeting civilian areas.
