Russia claims it thwarted Ukraine attack with 158 drones

Russian defence ministry said on Sunday that its air defences have intercepted and destroyed almost 158 Ukranian drones overnight, news agency AP reported. The attack from Ukraine is said to be one of the largest since the beginning of Ukraine war in February 2022.

Among the 158 drones, two were intercepted over Russia's capital Moscow and nine over the surrounding regions. Fourty-six drones were neutralised over the Kursk region, where Ukraine had launched one of the largest attempted incursions into Russia since World War II.

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34 drones were shot down over Bryansk, 28 over Voronezh and 14 over the Belgorod regions. Several more were downed over Kaluga, Lipetsk, Ryazan and a host of other Russian regions, the ministry said.

Damages include a coal-fired thermal power plant and an oil refinery in Moscow's Kapotnya. A local official in the Moscow region told AFP that three drones had tried to hit the Kashira coal-fired power station. "There were no victims nor damages," he said, adding that electricity was still reaching clients "correctly".

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The oil refinery in south-east of Moscow is owned by state-owned Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Russian gas giant Gazprom. The company declined to comment when contacted by news agency Reuters.

Ukraine also attempted to strike the Kashira power plant in Moscow, but Mikhail Shuvalov, head of the Kashira city district said there was no fire, damage or casualties as a result of the attack.

Regional governor of Moscow Aleksandr Bogomaz said "Our defenders are repelling an attempted massive UAV attack on the territory of the Bryansk region."

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of Belgorod region said the glasses of three residential buildings were damaged and a utility building in a private facility was completely collapsed.

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The drone barrage from Ukraine comes days after Russia targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure in one of the largest attacks with over 200 Russian drones and missiles. It also comes a month after Ukraine launched an offensive into Russia's Kursk region.

Recent strikes have brought the fight from Russia's borders to the heart of its capital city. Ukraine has stepped up aerial assaults on Russia's oil, targeting refineries and oil terminals to slow down Kremlin’s assault.

(With inputs from agencies)

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