Russian Defense Ministry claims to shot down 65 Ukrainian drones overnight

The drones hit on an oil refinery in Ryazan, a residential building in Belgorod, according to local governors. Russian Telegram channels also reported an attack on an FSB (Federal Security Service) building in Belgorod overnight.

Mar 13, 2024 - 07:16

Russian Defense Ministry claims to shot down 65 Ukrainian drones overnight

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russia allegedly shot down 65 Ukrainian UAV drones overnight and on the morning of 13 March.

It’s the second consecutive day that Russian air defenses have destroyed a massive drone attack over Russian cities. The Russian Defense Ministry and local governors report that the drones were Ukrainian, although the Ukrainian military has not confirmed this. Meanwhile, amidst the drone attacks on Russian cities, a coalition of Russian battalions – the Russian Freedom Legion (RFL), the Russian Volunteer Corps, and the Siberian Battalion – reported on 12 March that they had entered the border territory of Russia with the aim of liberating the country from the “criminal dictatorial regime in the Russian Federation.”

According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, “Russia’s Air Defenses destroyed 58 UAVs over the Belgorod (11 UAVs), Bryansk (8 UAVs), Voronezh (29 UAVs), Kursk (8 UAVs), Leningrad (1 UAV), and Ryazan (1 UAV) oblasts” overnight into 13 March.

The ministry added that on the morning of 13 March, they had allegedly shot down another seven Ukrainian drones – one in the Belgorod Oblast and six in the Voronezh Oblast.

Russian Telegram channel Astra also reported another drone allegedly hit a Federal Security Service (FSB) building in Belgorod.

The Belgorod governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, didn’t specify the attack on the FSB building, but he said that another UAV allegedly crashed into a residential building.

“There were no casualties, but windows were broken in several buildings. The facade and roof of the building were damaged. The blast wave also caused minor window damage in two nearby educational institutions,” Gladkov wrote.

The UAVs also attacked an oil refinery in Ryazan, causing a fire to break out, according to the city Governor Pavel Malkov. There were reportedly two injured. The refineries attacked are among Russia’s top 5 largest.

Rostov Governor Vasylyi Holubev said on the downing of three drones over the Rostov Oblast on the morning of 13 March.

Russian Defense Ministry reported at 11 am on 13 March its air defenses destroyed another two drones over Belgorod Oblast.

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