(Reuters) – Russia’s air defence systems destroyed Ukraine-launched drones over the Belgorod and Oryol regions late on Monday, the Russian defence ministry said, with local officials saying that there was no destruction or casualties.
The ministry, in posts on the Telegram messaging platform, said that two drones were destroyed over the Oryol region in Russia’s southwest and one over the Belgorod region, which border with Ukraine.
Governors of both of the regions said there was no destruction or casualties. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
In recent months, drone and missile attacks deep into Russia and on Russian-controlled territory have increased significantly, with Moscow blaming Kyiv for the strikes.
Ukraine seldom comments on the attacks, but it has said that destroying Russia’s military infrastructure far away from the front lines undermines Moscow’s war efforts and helps Kyiv’s ongoing counteroffensive to reclaim land Russia has occupied.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Michael Perry)
