Massive Ukrainian Aerial Attack on Russia Thwarted, 73 Drones Intercepted in One Night

In a new escalation of aerial attacks, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced this morning, Friday, July 18, 2025, that the air defense systems managed to destroy 73 Ukrainian drones during the night hours, including three drones heading towards the capital, Moscow.

According to the official statement, the interception operation took place between 11:00 p.m. on July 17 and 7:00 a.m. the following day, Moscow time.

The drone destruction sites were as follows: 31 drones in Bryansk province, 17 in Oryol province, and 10 in the suburbs of Moscow, including three drones flying towards the city.

Additionally, 4 drones were shot down over Crimea, 3 over the Azov Sea, and two in the Smolensk and Nizhny Novgorod provinces, as well as one each in the Belgorod, Kaluga, and Voronezh provinces, and another over the Black Sea.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed in a post on Telegram that there were no injuries or material damage as a result of the attack, noting that emergency services are combing the areas where drone debris fell.

Ukraine has not issued an official comment on the attack so far, but Kyiv justified its attacks inside Russian territory by targeting the infrastructure that supports Moscow's military efforts.

This attack comes amid rapid developments, as NATO announced that preparations are underway to expedite the transfer of "Patriot" air defense systems to Ukraine, in support of its defensive capabilities against Russian attacks.