Russia says it downed 36 Ukraine-launched drones over several Russian regions

MOSCOW: Russia’s air defence systems destroyed 36 drones that Ukraine launched overnight targeting several regions in Russia’s southwest, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday.

Fifteen drones were destroyed over the Kursk region that borders Ukraine and nine over the Lipetsk region, several hundred kilometres south of Moscow, the defence ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.

Four drones were destroyed each over the Voronezh and Bryansk regions in southwestern Russia and two each over the nearby Oryol and Belgorod regions. The governors of the Lipetsk and Bryansk regions said on their Telegram channels that there were no injuries or extensive damage as a result of the attacks.

Russian officials often do not disclose the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukrainian attacks. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.