Moscow [Russia], July 19 (ANI): Russia’s air defense systems intercepted more than 150 aerial threats overnight, including at least 13 drones headed toward Moscow, according to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and Russia’s Ministry of Defense, RT reported Saturday.
Sobyanin confirmed that “at least 13 of those drones were intercepted en route to Moscow,” and said there were no casualties or damage. Emergency crews were dispatched to respond to crash sites.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that a total of 158 hostile aerial targets were destroyed since 6:15 p.m. Friday across several regions, including Bryansk, Oryol, Kaluga, Rostov, Tula, Kursk, Smolensk, Voronezh, and Moscow. The large-scale drone raid was described by RT as one of the most extensive in recent weeks.
Ukrainian forces have stepped up UAV attacks deep inside Russian territory over the past week, with many strikes targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure. “The Russian government has decried the strikes as ‘terrorist attacks’ which deliberately target civilians,” RT reported.
Sobyanin, who has been providing daily updates since Wednesday, noted that Moscow’s air defenses have been operating at an elevated level of activity due to the surge in drone assaults.
Last month, Sobyanin told reporters that “the city’s air defense system operates at the ‘highest level,’ intercepting 99.9% of targets.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also emphasized that Russia uses layered air defense systems to minimize the threat posed by drone attacks.
Amid heightened defense readiness, Peskov reiterated Russia’s openness to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict, while noting that Moscow is still awaiting signals from Kiev to resume direct negotiations.
Speaking at a routine press briefing, Peskov said, “We should wait for some signals from the Kiev regime, who should say whether they want to hold a third round of direct talks or not. We have repeatedly said that we would prefer achieving our goals through peaceful political-diplomatic means.”
He also cautioned that “as long as this outcome is impossible, the special military operation continues, and realities on the ground are changing every day,” RT reported.
Two rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine were held earlier this year in Istanbul — in mid-May and early June — but no date has yet been set for a third round, RT added. (ANI)
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