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Russia and Ukraine competed today in announcing the downing and interception of dozens of easy-to-use aircraft in both countries. While Moscow announced the destruction and interception of 40 Ukrainian drones in 4 provinces during the past night, Kiev stated that it destroyed 30 Russian drones in raids launched by Moscow on its territory.
"17 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight over Volgograd region, 12 over Kaluga region, 9 over Rostov region, and two over Saratov region," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, Sputnik news agency reported on Saturday.
Sputnik explained that since February 24, 2022, the Russian armed forces have continued to implement their "special military operation" with the aim of disarming Ukraine, eliminating threats directed through it to Russia's security, and protecting civilians who have been persecuted in the Donbass region for 8 years by the Kiev regime, according to the agency's description.
Ukrainian forces are targeting Russian border areas with drones and missiles on an almost daily basis, in the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Voronezh and Crimean regions.
Control of two areas
Earlier yesterday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Friday that Russian forces had taken control of two areas on the front in the Donetsk region in the east of the country.
A ministry report said Russian forces had taken control of the village of Zeleni Pole, located between Pokrovsk, the focal point of Russian attacks in the region, and Vilyuka Novoselka, an area the Russian military said it had captured late last month.
According to the Russian report, the village of Dakhny, west of the town of Kurakhov, which the Russian military said it also captured last month, was also captured. The town had been the target of weeks of heavy fighting.
The Ukrainian General Staff said in a report released late in the evening that the two villages were among 11 settlements that came under Russian attack in the Pokrovsk sector, but did not mention whether they were under Russian control.
The Ukrainian air force said today that air defenses destroyed 33 of the 70 drones launched by Russia during the latest night raid, adding that 37 other drones were "lost" without hitting their targets, usually referring to electronic jamming.