Russia’s defense ministry said Monday the country’s air defenses destroyed 31 drones and 16 missiles launched by Ukraine in overnight attacks.
The ministry said seven drones and four guided missiles were shot down over Russia-occupied Crimea, eight drones were destroyed over Kursk and four drones were intercepted over the Lipetsk region.
The focus of the Ukrainian attack was the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. The Russian defense ministry said it destroyed 12 drones and 12 guided missiles over Belgorod.
The attack in Belgorod came a day after a Ukrainian missile attack killed at least 15 people and injured more than 30 others, the regional governor said Monday.
Kharkiv fighting
More than 4,000 people have fled from areas around Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region since Friday, when Russia launched a surprise counteroffensive, according to regional governor Oleg Syniehubov.
Using artillery and mortar fire, Russian forces have been pounding towns and villages in the area.
At least one Ukrainian unit has withdrawn from the Kharkiv region as Russian forces take over areas in the so-called contested “gray zones” along the Russian border.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday battles were raging across parts of the border in the Kharkiv region, where thousands were displaced after a Russian offensive.
“Defensive battles and fierce fighting continue on a large part of our borderline,” Zelenskyy said, adding, “…the idea behind the attacks in the Kharkiv region is to stretch our forces and undermine the moral and motivational basis of the Ukrainians’ ability to defend themselves.”
The Russian defense ministry said Saturday its troops captured five villages across the border from Russia’s Belgorod region.
In 2022, Russian forces reached Kharkiv’s suburbs before being driven back to the border.
Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
