Russian air defense shoots down multiple targets near Belgorod – governor
Russian air defenses shot down multiple drones over the southwestern Belgorod Region on Saturday, according to local authorities and the country’s military.
The Defense Ministry has confirmed the destruction of three unmanned aerial aircraft in the area, blaming on Kiev the foiled “terrorist attack.” The drones were downed in an unpopulated area, avoiding any casualties or material damage on the ground, the military said.
Governor of Belgorod Vyacheslav Gladkov initially said at least 12 aerial targets had been downed outside the city. The official revised this figure later in the day, confirming that only three targets had been shot down, with an initial assessment of the situation having suggested the incident did not cause any damage on the ground.
The Russian border regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod have been repeatedly subjected to drone strikes and artillery shelling by Kiev during the ongoing conflict, which broke out back in February 2022. The attacks have left dozens of civilians killed and injured, as well as damaging infrastructure.
In recent weeks, Ukraine also ramped up its efforts to target the Russian capital with long-range drones. The attempts have been mostly unsuccessful so far, but several unmanned aircraft made it to Moscow’s business district, where they caused material damage.
