Moscow: Russia's air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed 159 Ukrainian drones over multiple regions of the country during the night, as reported by the defense ministry on Wednesday. The operation was conducted in two phases, targeting the drones between the evening of May 20 and the morning of May 21.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the first phase of the operation took place between 8:00 p.m. on May 20 and 4:05 a.m. on May 21 Moscow time (1700-0105 GMT), during which 127 fixed-wing Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were brought down over various Russian regions. The ministry highlighted that in the subsequent period from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Moscow time (0100-0500 GMT), an additional 32 drones were intercepted and destroyed.

The ministry provided a detailed breakdown of the operations, stating that 53 drones were shot down over Oryol Region, 51 over Bryansk, 37 over Kursk, and six over Moscow. This large-scale interception underscores the ongoing tensions and the strategic importance of air defense systems in the region.