Russian defense officials announced Sunday that military air defense systems successfully shot down 170 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions in central and southern Russia during a concentrated four-hour timeframe.
The intercepts took place between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time (1100-1500 GMT) on March 8, according to Russia’s Defence Ministry. Officials reported no injuries or property damage from the incident.
The Bryansk region, which shares a border with Ukraine, experienced the heaviest drone activity with 73 intercepts recorded. Among the drones targeted were two aircraft reportedly en route to Moscow.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, confirmed via Telegram that two drones were brought down while approaching the Russian capital. He noted that emergency response teams were dispatched to examine debris at the crash locations.
The reported number of drone intercepts represents a figure above typical averages for such incidents.
