Russian Military Intercepts Record 1.2K Ukrainian Drones Overnight

Russian air defense systems intercepted a record 1,214 Ukrainian drones across the country amid an overnight air barrage, the Defense Ministry said Thursday, as negotiators from the two warring countries prepare for a new round of U.S.-mediated peace talks month.

The total surpasses the record set on Sept. 20, when the military said that more than 1,100 Ukrainian drones were downed in Russia and annexed Crimea during the final day of parliamentary and regional elections.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Thursday that 613 drones were launched toward the Moscow region overnight, with around a third of them being destroyed on their approach to the Russian capital.

The Kremlin condemned the attack on Moscow, which is currently hosting more than 22 foreign leaders at the Russia-Africa summit.

In the industrial city of Sterlitamak, located in the republic of Bashkortostan, Mayor Emil Shaimardanov said falling drone debris caused minor damage at an industrial site.

The exiled outlet Astra said it used eyewitness footage of smoke rising above an industrial area in Sterlitamak to identify the targeted site as the Bashkir Soda Company, located 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) east of Russia’s border with Ukraine. It was previously attacked on Aug. 27.

The company is Russia’s only producer of terephthaloyl chloride, a critical chemical used to make high-strength aramid fibers found in body armor, helmets and protective military vehicle materials.

In the Perm region, Governor Dmitry Makhonin said a Ukrainian drone attack caused slight damage to an industrial facility, which he did not identify by name.

One person was killed and seven were injured in the southwestern Belgorod region, according to local officials.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said overnight Russian attacks in the Rivne region killed one person.

AFP and Reuters contributed reporting.

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