Moscow reports mass drone interceptions

Shafaq News – Moscow/ Kyiv

Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday that its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions.

Twelve of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were downed over the Tula Region, 11 over Rostov, six over Nizhny Novgorod, two over Bryansk, and one each over Kursk and Kaluga, according to the ministry.

The surge in drone activity coincides with an announcement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirming that Ukrainian and Russian delegations will meet in Turkiye for a new round of negotiations. Previous rounds in Istanbul, held on May 16 and June 2, resulted in the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of fallen soldiers.

Meanwhile, Russia launched large-scale naval exercises codenamed July Storm, involving operations across the Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Baltic Sea, and Caspian Sea.

The drills, running from July 23 to 27, involve 150 warships, 120 aircraft and helicopters, 15,000 personnel, 950 units of specialised equipment, and 10 missile systems. Russia’s Defence Ministry stated that the exercises are designed to assess the navy’s combat readiness in non-standard scenarios and test long-range precision weapons, unmanned systems, and emerging military technologies.