Russia claims to intercept almost 200 drones, one in five aimed at Moscow
Illustrative photo: Russia's Defense Ministry claims to have shot down 193 drones (Getty Images)
Russia's Defense Ministry said that on the night of October 27, its forces intercepted and destroyed 193 drones, including 40 over the Moscow region, according to the Russian MoD Telegram channel.
The statement says that during the night of October 27, Russian air defense systems "intercepted and destroyed 193 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, including":
- 47 over the Bryansk region,
- 42 over the Kaluga region,
- 40 over the Moscow region — including 34 drones that "were flying toward Moscow,"
- 32 over the Tula region,
- 10 over the Kursk region,
- 7 over the Oryol region,
- 4 over the Rostov region,
- 4 over the Voronezh region,
- 2 othe ver Orenburg region,
- 2 over the Tambov region,
- 1 over the Lipetsk region,
- 1 over the Samara region.
Drone attack on Moscow on October 26
Russian media reported an attack by unidentified drones on Moscow on the evening of October 26.
They published multiple photos and videos from the Russian capital — explosions could be heard, and columns of smoke were visible.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote that air defenses shot everything down. However, photos circulating on social media showed Russian soldiers in a pickup truck with a machine gun positioned directly across from the Kremlin.
Sobyanin did not comment on the column of smoke seen in the city center.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, confirmed that Moscow was under drone attack but did not provide details.
Strikes on other Russian targets on October 26
Earlier that day, explosions were reported in the Moscow region near an airfield hosting Russia's strategic aviation.
Targets included the Shaikovka airbase and Kaluga airport in the Kaluga region.
At the same time, satellite photos surfaced online showing the aftermath of Ukrainian drone strikes on the Belgorod reservoir dam inside Russia.
Following the nighttime drone attack, large volumes of water began to pour through the dam, causing the water level to drop by more than a meter.
The area hosts positions of four Russian brigades, and trenches where Russian troops were stationed were flooded.
That evening, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, confirmed that operators from the 1st Separate UAV Systems Center were behind the drone attack on the Belgorod reservoir.
