Unmanned aircraft on a course to Moscow was taken out by gunfire.
In an unprecedented escalation of hostilities, Ukrainian forces launched a widespread drone attack on several Russian regions over the night of July 16-17, 2025. The attack targeted Moscow, St. Petersburg, and various western border areas, including Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Oryol, Voronezh, and Smolensk.
The Russian defense forces reportedly intercepted and destroyed approximately 122 Ukrainian drones across 11 regions and occupied Crimea. The regions of Bryansk and Kursk saw the highest numbers of downed drones, with 43 and 38 shots respectively.
Moscow's air defenses shot down three drones between 2-3 a.m. local time. While no casualties or damage were reported in the capital, emergency crews were mobilized as a precautionary measure. In Belgorod Oblast, a drone attack resulted in the death of one person and injuries to six others, with damage to private homes. Smolensk region saw 14 drones downed, causing one injury, and Voronezh suffered damage to residential buildings with injuries to three children.
Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg and Vnukovo Airport near Moscow temporarily suspended operations due to drone threats, causing flight delays. Russian air defense forces, along with electronic warfare systems, played a crucial role in intercepting and downing the drones. In St. Petersburg's region, drones were taken down by electronic warfare east of the city.
The drone campaign forms part of an ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, with Ukrainian forces targeting deeper into Russian territory. Russian military airstrikes on Ukraine continue simultaneously, involving hundreds of drones and missile launches.
On the previous day, between 23:00 and 23:30, eight Ukrainian aircraft-type UAVs attacked two Russian regions. The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, announced the elimination of another enemy drone approaching the capital. After these attacks, several UAVs were detected and destroyed over Voronezh, although the exact number was not specified. Emergency services specialists arrived at the crash site of the drone's wreckage.
This series of drone attacks represents a significant and coordinated Ukrainian effort employing over a hundred UAVs, met with substantial Russian air defense measures that prevented large-scale damage in Moscow but caused casualties and property damage in several other regions. The type of UAVs involved in these attacks was not specified.
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia escalated further with a significant and coordinated drone campaign on Russian regions, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, and various border areas. Politics and war-and-conflicts are at the forefront of the general news, as Russian military airstrikes on Ukraine and Ukrainian drone attacks continue to intensify, involving hundreds of drones and missile launches.
