Russia was struck by drone strikes in two different regions early on Sunday, Moscow’s Defense Ministry has said, as footage appears to show damage wrought by the attacks.
Videos circulating online on Sunday appear to show uncrewed aircraft-type drones flying over Russia. One clip, reportedly filmed in Russia’s Smolensk region, appears to show an explosion as a drone dips from view.
Newsweek could not independently verify when or where the footage was filmed, and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Moscow said on Sunday that Ukraine had launched a spate of drone attacks on Russian territory, but insisted the country’s air defenses had intercepted the uncrewed vehicles.
SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine targeted Russia’s Krasnodar region with an “aircraft-type” drone at around 8 a.m. Moscow time on Sunday and flights were redirected from Sochi airport as a result, Russia said.
Anonymous Telegram channel “Shot” reported that a Turkish-made Bayraktar fixed-wing drone was used in the strike, although Newsweek could not independently verify this.
Just an hour later, three more UAVs were destroyed by air defenses over the Smolensk region, which borders Russia’s staunch ally, Belarus, Moscow said.
At 10 a.m. Moscow time, air defenses intercepted a further two Ukrainian drones over Smolensk, the Kremlin later said.
Simultaneously, a Russian aircraft factory in Smolensk and military airport in Krasnodar are hit with large drones.
Things that happen when all your air defense units were sent off to Ukraine.. pic.twitter.com/KQp7va0OAF
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) October 1, 2023
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces have tried to carry out several terrorist attacks on the Smolensk region using UAVs,” Smolensk Regional Governor Vasily Anokhin said on Sunday.
“In total, five aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles were suppressed by air defense and electronic warfare forces of the Ministry of Defense over Smolensk and its suburbs,” he said in a post on Telegram.
Anokhin said that no damage had been done.
Russian state media have also reported a UAV over Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine.
Ukraine has frequently launched unmanned vehicle strikes on Russian territory, and warned that there would be more to come. Drone strikes launched by Ukraine have repeatedly reached Moscow, bringing the gruelling war in Ukraine closer to home for many Russians.
This is a breaking story and will be updated shortly with additional information.