Russia experienced its largest drone assault since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as 158 Ukrainian drones targeted multiple regions across the country, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed all 158 drones over 15 different regions, including two over Moscow and nine in the surrounding Moscow region. However, reports and footage from regional authorities and social media suggest that some drones did manage to strike targets, causing explosions and fires. Notably, there were reported incidents at the Kashira coal-fired power station and the Kapotnya oil refinery in the Moscow region, although Russian officials maintained that these strikes caused no casualties or significant damage.
My return starts with burning facilities all over Russia. Let’s start with the Moscow region. The Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district was struck by UAVs. This is the moment of one impact.
Source: Telegram / Astra pic.twitter.com/90ZL0q6XHO
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) September 1, 2024
Ukrainian drones successfully hit the Russian Konakovo Power Station outside of Moscow this evening.
The natural gas-fired power station is heavily burning. pic.twitter.com/2i2wo4Fx77
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 1, 2024
The heaviest concentration of drone activity was reported in the Kursk region, where 46 drones were intercepted. This area has seen recent Ukrainian incursions and is a key border region. Additional strikes were reported in the Bryansk (34 drones), Voronezh (28 drones), and Belgorod (14 drones) regions, all of which share borders with Ukraine. Local officials in these regions reported various degrees of damage, with incidents including a significant fire at a power plant in the Tver region and damage to residential buildings in Belgorod.
Oh wow, so you’re telling me striking critical infrastructure is a game two can play?
Ukraine has had yet another massive drone attack on Russia, one of the largest ever.
Given the fact that Russian air defenses are so weak in areas beyond immediate war zones (even in Moscow!),… pic.twitter.com/dXAOLCny1Q
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) September 1, 2024
This drone assault comes amid intensified fighting on multiple fronts, including Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donbas region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has justified these strikes as a necessary response to Russia’s continued bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, where recent Russian missile attacks have caused significant civilian casualties.
The scale of the drone attack underscores Ukraine’s increasing capability to project power far beyond the front lines, targeting infrastructure deep inside Russian territory. The attacks also raise concerns about the security of critical infrastructure within Russia, as Ukrainian forces continue to push the limits of their aerial assault capabilities.
Expanded Coverage:
