Russia Shoots Down Ukrainian Drones and Missiles Following Kyiv Attack: Analysis

Russian air defences have intercepted Ukrainian drones over several regions inside its territory, including Moscow, just a day after Kyiv reported a significant drone attack on Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that their air defence systems destroyed four Ukrainian drones over the Bryansk, Smolensk, and Tula regions. Additionally, Russia claimed to have shot down some drones over the Moscow region. Furthermore, the Russian army announced that they had downed two Ukrainian missiles over the Sea of Azov.
On the other hand, Ukraine stated that their air defence had downed eight out of nine drones over their country on Sunday. The previous day, Ukraine reported that Moscow had launched 75 drones into the country, with the majority targeting the capital. The attack occurred as Kyiv marked Holodomor, a tragic famine engineered by the Soviet Union that resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as an act of “wilful terror,” criticizing the Russian leadership for taking pride in their ability to kill.
It is important to note that Ukraine has also targeted Russian regions and the annexed Crimean Peninsula with drones over the past months, launching a counteroffensive against Russian forces this summer. Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine came after the pro-Moscow government of President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown in 2014 following a popular uprising.

Source: Aljazeera news: Russia downs Ukrainian drones, missiles day after its attack on Kyiv