Russian military forces reportedly shot down 287 Ukrainian drones overnight, marking one of the highest totals for a single night since the onset of the conflict, according to statements from the Defense Ministry and officials on Thursday.
The temporary closure of airports led to the delay of 200 flights to and from Moscow. Eyewitness accounts also indicated that two fertilizer facilities were targeted in the western Novgorod and Smolensk regions.
The Defense Ministry indicated via Telegram that of the drones intercepted and shot down, 32 were on course for Moscow and 40 were aimed at the surrounding Moscow area.
Moscow’s Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, informed that emergency services were responding to incidents involving drone debris throughout the night and into Thursday morning, although he did not provide details on any damage or injuries.
According to Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, operations at all four airports in the capital were temporarily halted. Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg mentioned it was accommodating diverted flights.
Overall, approximately 200 flights experienced cancellations or delays.
The drone strikes ignited a fire at or close to one of Russia’s largest chemical manufacturers, the Acron mineral fertilizer plant located in Veliky Novgorod, as reported by independent news outlet Astra, which geo-verified eyewitness footage.
Governor Alexander Dronov of the Novgorod region reported that 19 drones were intercepted overnight, with one individual injured and “minor” damage to structures. Astra noted it could not confirm whether the Acron facility was directly impacted based on the available footage.
There are also reports of potential attacks on Acron’s subsidiary, PAO Dorogobuzh, in the Smolensk region near the Belarus border, according to eyewitness accounts cited by the outlet.
Vasily Anokhin, Governor of the Smolensk region, stated that there was no damage to infrastructure and no reported injuries resulting from the attacks.
In Ukraine, the head of the Poltava regional military administration mentioned that Russian forces targeted local energy infrastructure overnight, leading to fires.
In a recent interview, the CEO of Ukraine’s state gas operator told AFP that the nation might be facing its most challenging winter since the beginning of the Russian offensive in February 2022.
Naftogaz CEO Sergiy Koretsky noted that the strikes this year have been more frequent and commenced earlier in the winter, worsening the situation.
An analysis by AFP of Ukrainian air force data reveals that Russia has been launching unprecedented quantities of drones and missiles against Ukraine in recent months.
Ukraine and its allies continue to advocate for a resolution to Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, with officials in Kyiv stating on Wednesday that an updated proposal was delivered to Washington.
Reporting contributed by AFP.
