Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 158 Ukrainian drones overnight, including two over Moscow and nine over the surrounding region, the Defense Ministry said on Sunday.
Forty-six of the drones were over the Kursk region where Ukraine has sent its forces in recent weeks in the largest encroachment on Russian soil since World War II. Another 34 were fired over the Bryansk region, 28 over the Voronezh region and 14 over the Belgorod region – all of which border Ukraine.
Drones were also shot down deeper into Russia, including one each in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow, and the Ivanovo region, northeast of the Russian capital. The Russian Defense Ministry said drones were intercepted in 15 regions, while another governor said a drone was also shot down over his region.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said falling debris from one of the two drones shot down over the city caused a fire at an oil refinery.
Ukrainian drone strikes have brought the fight far from the front lines into the heart of Russia. Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has stepped up airstrikes on Russian soil, targeting refineries and oil terminals to slow the Kremlin’s offensive.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday it had taken control of the towns of Pivnichne and Vyimka in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claim.
Russian forces have driven deeper into the partially occupied eastern region, the total conquest of which is one of the Kremlin’s main ambitions. Russia’s army is approaching Pokrovska critical logistics hub for the Ukrainian defense in the area.
In Ukraine, during the night, eight drones were shot down out of eleven launched by Russia, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
One person was killed and four wounded in shelling overnight in the Sumy region, local officials said, while Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov said five people were wounded in the shelling in his region.
Another six people were injured when Russia shelled the regional capital, also called Kharkiv, on Sunday. Syniehubov said a shopping center, a sports complex and residential buildings were damaged.
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