MOSCOW — Ukrainian drones struck several Russian regions overnight, causing damage and casualties, Russian officials said on Thursday, as Kyiv continued its campaign of long-range attacks against targets inside Russia.
The Russian Defence Ministry said air defences intercepted and destroyed Ukrainian drones over a number of regions, while local authorities reported damage from drone attacks. In the Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said five drones attacked the regional capital, damaging a civilian facility, a car and the fence of a private home. He said additional drone attacks were recorded in several districts.
Russian officials have not confirmed any civilian deaths from the overnight attacks reported on Aug. 13. The Defence Ministry said several drones were destroyed over Belgorod and Kursk regions without casualties or significant damage in some incidents.
The attacks came as Ukraine has expanded its use of drones to strike targets deep inside Russia, including military, energy and industrial infrastructure. Kyiv generally does not immediately comment on individual overnight attacks, although Ukrainian officials have acknowledged operations against Russian military and energy targets in previous strikes.
Russia's border regions have faced frequent Ukrainian drone attacks during the war, with Belgorod particularly exposed because of its proximity to Ukraine. Russian authorities routinely report damage to residential buildings, vehicles and other civilian infrastructure, while Kyiv says its long-range strikes are aimed at degrading Russia's ability to wage war.
The overnight activity also followed a major Ukrainian drone and missile operation against the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, where Ukrainian officials said Russian naval assets were targeted. Reports of damage to individual vessels and military infrastructure could not be independently verified.
Russian authorities have repeatedly said their air-defence systems intercept large numbers of Ukrainian drones, but falling debris from intercepted aircraft can itself cause damage and casualties. Independent verification of the number of drones launched, intercepted or reaching their intended targets is often difficult.
The latest Russian statements did not establish that civilians were killed in the Aug. 13 overnight strikes. Officials continued to assess damage in affected areas, while Moscow and Kyiv remained engaged in an escalating campaign of long-range drone attacks alongside fighting on the front.
