Drone Attack Retaliated Drone, Ukrainian Nirawak Plane Towards Moscow Destroyed

JAKARTA - Russian air defenses destroyed two Ukrainian drones heading to Moscow on Thursday evening local time.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, through the Telegram messaging application, did not mention any casualties or damage. He only said experts were examining the area where the debris of the drone fell to the ground.

Sobyanin said previously three Ukrainian unmanned aircraft were intercepted on Wednesday.

As reported by Reuters on Friday, July 18, the federal aviation agency, Rosaviatsia, had ordered a suspension of operations at two airports near the capital, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky, but operations were reopened.

Russia's Defense Ministry said air defense units had destroyed 46 Ukrainian drones over a four-hour period at night, including one drone over Moscow.

Most of the other drones crashed in areas near Ukraine, including 31 over the Bryansk region and 10 above Crimea, the region Russia has annexed since 2014.

As previously reported, Russia on Wednesday, July 16, attacked cities in Ukraine overnight with hundreds of drones and missile attacks targeting energy infrastructure. It was reported that 15 people were injured in the Russian attack.

The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 400 drones and one ballistic missile, primarily targeting Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, andANTsia -- three cities across Ukraine.

The Air Force said it had shot down most of the drones, but 12 targets were hit by 57 drones and missiles.

Russia has stepped up attacks on cities across Ukraine this summer, routinely delivering hundreds of drones accompanied by ballistic missiles.

The attack was cited by US President Donald Trump this week as the reason for his decision to approve more weapons for Ukraine, including air defenses.

"Russia has not changed its strategy, and to effectively counter this terror, we need systemic defense strengthening: more air defenses, more interceptors (drones), more determination to make Russia feel our response," Zelenskyy wrote on Wednesday.