The latest series of kamikaze UAVs appeared to be concentrated in the western regions of Russia, including Moscow and Crimea.
A total of 283 Ukrainian kamikaze drones were shot down by the air force overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
In recent weeks, the Ukrainian military has increased its long-range attacks on targets in Russia. Most of the incoming drones have been intercepted heading for Moscow and its suburbs.
The latest series of drones were intercepted in many places, including Bryansk, Smolensk, Kaluga, Belgorod, Voronezh, Rostov, Volgograd, Tula, Ryazan, Kursk, Saratov, Samara, Tatarstan, Crimea, and Moscow Region, according to the Russian military.
Earlier on Saturday, Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said the Ukrainian drone strike caused minor damage to residential buildings in Engels, a city across the Volga River from the regional capital.
“Several houses in Engels had partially broken windows. There were no injuries, according to the preliminary assessment. All emergency services are working at the scene,” the governor said.
Later that day, the defense ministry reported that they had shot down 54 drones in western and southwestern Russia.
Ukraine has repeatedly attacked Russia with UAVs in recent months, targeting critical infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, and residential areas in what Moscow has described as desperation. “terrorist attacks” it was intended to compensate for the front-line obstacles the Kiev Army had been suffering.
Russia has retaliated with its long-range strike campaign, targeting dual-use infrastructure, including power grid facilities, and military sites in Ukraine. Moscow has maintained that it is not only targeting civilian areas.
