A massive drone attack has hit southern Russia: approximately 90 drones were shot down in the Rostov Region, and a plant in Kuban caught fire
On the night of August 20, Russian regions were hit by a massive drone attack. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, from 8:00 PM on August 19 to 8:00 AM on August 20, Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 726 fixed-wing UAVs.
The ministry claims that drones were spotted over the Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, Saratov, Tambov, Tula, and Ulyanovsk Regions, Krasnodar Krai, Crimea, the Moscow Region, and Tatarstan. According to the Ministry of Defense, another number of drones were destroyed over the Black and Azov Seas.
In the Rostov Region, Governor Yuri Slyusar reported the downing of approximately 90 drones. He said they attacked six districts in the region: Millerovsky, Chertkovsky, Sholokhovsky, Bokovsky, Tarasovsky, and Verkhnedonskoy.
The aftermath of the attack is being investigated. According to preliminary reports, there are no casualties.
In the Krasnodar Region, drone debris fell in several municipalities. In Primorsko-Akhtarsk, windows were damaged in two homes.
In the village of Volna in the Temryuk District, a fire broke out on the premises of a business after debris fell. The fire was quickly extinguished. According to the regional task force, there were no injuries.
In the Volgograd Region, a drone alert was declared on the evening of August 19 at 9:42 PM. Residents were advised to stay indoors, avoid windows, and avoid using elevators. The all-clear was announced at 5:57 AM on August 20.
Due to the threat of an attack, Volgograd Airport temporarily restricted the arrival and departure of aircraft. The restrictions were in effect from 11:26 PM to 4:11 AM.
According to Russian authorities, the Moscow region was the largest target of the attack: according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, approximately 250 drones were heading there from the evening of August 19 to the morning of August 20. Another major target was Tatarstan, with drones heading toward industrial facilities in the republic.
That same night, Russian forces launched a massive strike on Kyiv using ballistic and cruise missiles of various types. According to the latest data from city authorities, 12 people were killed and 33 more were injured. August 21 was declared a day of mourning in Kyiv.
