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Russian air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed 85 Ukrainian drones overnight from Friday to Saturday, the Defense Ministry announced on Saturday. The interceptions took place across several regions, with significant activity noted over the Black Sea, where 31 drones were shot down.
Additionally, 16 drones were neutralized in both Voronezh and Krasnodar Regions, while 14 were intercepted over the Sea of Azov. Four drones were brought down over Belgorod, and two were eliminated in Tambov Region. One drone each was also intercepted over Crimea and Kursk.
In early hours of Saturday, drones crashed into two apartment buildings in the town of Kotovsk in Tambov Region. The acting head of the region, Evgeny Pervyshov, said on his Telegram channel that seven people suffered from the attack — three sustained cuts from shattered glass, while four others complained of elevated blood pressure. “All necessary assistance has been provided, and hospitalization was not required,” he stated.
A drone attack damaged two five-story apartment buildings, shattering windows and damaging balconies. City administration officials have formed a working group to address the repairs, promising to provide the necessary support. Residents were not evacuated, but a temporary accommodation center was prepared to welcome those displaced from the affected apartments.
In early 2024, Kiev escalated its drone attacks primarily aiming at Russian energy infrastructure while also striking residential areas. In response, Moscow intensified its attacks on Ukrainian power plants, which it views as legitimate military targets, and successfully destroyed or disabled a significant portion of Ukraine’s non-nuclear electricity generation capacity.
In December, several Ukrainian drones targeted high-rise residential buildings and a factory in the Russian city of Kazan, which some media reports referred to as a “9/11-style attack.” The Defense Ministry reported that six UAVs were destroyed, although some drones penetrated defenses, resulting in property damage, although no casualties were reported.
