Russian Forces Intercept 87 Ukrainian UAVs

April 24, 2025 —The Russian Defense Ministry announced that its air defense forces successfully intercepted and destroyed 87 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over eight regions of Russia during the night.

According to official reports, the Republic of Crimea experienced the highest number of interceptions, with 45 drones shot down. Additional UAVs were destroyed over several other regions: 10 in Belgorod, 10 in Kursk, 8 in Voronezh, and 4 each in Bryansk, Lipetsk, and Nizhny Novgorod. Two drones were also intercepted in the Moscow region.

Residents of Kolomna, located in the Moscow Region, reported hearing air defense activity, accompanied by a bright flash and explosion sounds, suggesting successful interceptions in their area. This aligns with the Defense Ministry’s assertion of heightened air defense efforts. In response to the UAV threat, the Russian aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, implemented the “Carpet” plan at Zhukovsky and Grabtsevo airports, resulting in the suspension of flight operations.

The scale of the drone attack underscores Ukraine’s increasing reliance on UAVs as part of its military strategy. The Telegram channel “Treugolnik” had previously warned on the evening of April 23 about a significant number of UAVs approaching the Russian border.

Kolomna has previously been targeted by drone attacks. In February 2023, a drone reportedly crashed near the village of Gubastovo, aiming for a gas station but resulting in no casualties. In September 2024, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the downing of a drone over Kolomna during an incident involving 14 UAVs. The most extensive attack in the Moscow region occurred on March 11, 2025, when 91 drones were reportedly shot down. The recent incidents, affecting eight regions, are comparable in scale to the March attack, during which the Ministry of Defense claimed the destruction of 337 drones, including 91 over the Moscow region.