The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported the neutralization of 61 drones over the regions of the country overnight.
“During the past night, from 23.00 on October 16 to 7.00 on October 17, duty air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 61 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles,” follows from a publication on the Telegram channel of the defense department in Friday, October 17.
In particular, 32 UAVs – over the territory of the annexed Crimea, 13 UAVs – over the territory of the Rostov region, 6 UAVs – over the Black Sea, 5 UAVs – over the territory of the Bryansk region, 2 UAVs each – over the territories of the Tula region and the Moscow region, 1 – over the territory of Kursk area.
Chapter annexed Crimea, Sergei Aksenov reported that as a result of the UAV attack, several electrical substations in the region were damaged.
UAV attacks on Russian regions began in 2022 against the backdrop of a “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Kyiv did not officially confirm its involvement, but in August 2023, the adviser to the head of the office of the Ukrainian president, Mikhail Podolyak said that the number of UAV strikes on Russia “will increase.”
At the beginning of March 2023, President Vladimir Zelensky said that the whole world is seeing the results of Ukraine’s use of its own drones against strategic targets in Russia. “I think everyone sees that our drones work. And they work long-range. Our long-range is a real approach to security for everyone,” the head of the Ukrainian state said in a video message after a massive drone attack on the regions of the Russian Federation, including the Moscow region.
Zelensky emphasized that “Ukraine will inflict retaliatory losses on the Russian state – quite rightly.” In May 2023, a drone exploded over the Senate Palace in the Kremlin, and UAVs repeatedly hit the buildings of the Moscow City business center. The border Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk regions and annexed Crimea are also often targets.