File image.
Russian air defenses intercepted 174 fixed-wing suicide drones overnight, foiling one of Ukraine’s largest attacks on the country this year.
“During the past night from 20:00 Moscow time on June 5 to 04:20 Moscow time on June 6, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 174 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type over the territories of the Bryansk, Rostov, Saratov, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Ryazan, Tula, Belgorod, Tambov, Moscow regions and the Republic of Crimea,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The ministry added that Russian air defenses also shot down three Ukrainian Neptune-MD land-attack cruise missiles over the Black Sea.
An explosion was reported near the airport in Bryansk. A fire also broke out at the fuel depot near the air base of the Russian strategic aviation in Engels.
Click to see full-size image.
In addition, a drone was shot down near another strategic air base, Dyagilevo, in Ryazan. A residential building was reportedly damaged.
The drones also attacked the Progress plant in the city of Michurinsk in Tambov. This is one of the key defense enterprises producing avionics, control systems, and missile components. No casualties or damage was reported, however.
Meanwhile in Tula, three people were wounded as a result of the drone attack, according to the region’s governor Dmitry Milyayev.
“This past night, air defense units of the Russian Defense Ministry destroyed two Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles that attacked the Tula Region. As a result of the enemy attack, three people were injured,” Milyayev wrote on his Telegram channel.
Video footage from Voronezh showed what is said to be Mi-8 and Ka-52 helicopters intercepting incoming Ukrainian drones.
The Ukrainian attack came amid intense Russian drone and missile strikes against Kiev and several other regions in Ukraine. The Russian attack was among the largest since the start of the special military operation more than three years ago.
The current escalation was initiated by Ukraine, which claimed responsibility for a sabotage attack with drones that targeted multiple bases in Russia hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers earlier this week. Kiev also targeted several civilian sites within Russia in acts of railway sabotage over the weekend, killing at least seven people and injuring over 120.
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