Tensions are escalating between Russia and Ukraine as both nations ramp up aerial operations. Overnight and early morning hours saw a surge in drone activity, with both sides claiming to have intercepted and destroyed dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles. Meanwhile, Germany is expected to host talks next week aimed at finding a path toward ending the ongoing conflict.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated Sunday that its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed 235 drones launched by Ukraine overnight. A local governor reported a fire at an oil depot in the Volgograd region, attributing it to debris from downed drones. Russia’s aviation regulatory body indicated that at least ten Russian airports, including those in Moscow and St. Petersburg, faced temporary flight restrictions overnight.
Earlier Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement asserting that its air defense forces had shot down a total of 141 Ukrainian drones over several Russian provinces during the previous night.
Conversely, the Ukrainian Air Force announced via Telegram on Sunday that its air defenses had downed 110 out of 138 drones launched by Russia in an attack targeting the north, south, and east of the country overnight. The statement detailed that Russian forces launched attacks using an Iskander-M ballistic missile fired from the Rostov region of Russia, along with 138 Shahed and Geran drones, and other decoy models, launched from multiple locations.
The Ukrainian statement further added that the attack was repelled by air defense units, electronic warfare units, drones, and mobile fire teams belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force and Air Defense.
In a separate development, Ukraine accused Russia of striking a Turkish cargo ship in the Black Sea with a drone on Saturday. The ship was reportedly carrying eleven Turkish citizens. This incident follows a previous Russian airstrike that Kyiv claims damaged another Turkish transport ship near the port of Odesa. The Ukrainian Navy stated that the Saturday strike caused no injuries but hit the Viva, a ship transporting cargo at sea.
