(MENAFN) Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that it had intercepted close to 100 Ukrainian drones overnight in a widespread aerial attack across multiple regions. The drone assault comes as Kiev intensifies its UAV operations despite recent diplomatic engagements with Moscow.

According to official reports, 67 drones were destroyed over the Bryansk, Smolensk, and Kaluga regions. Another 30 were intercepted across southern Russia, including in Volgograd, Rostov, Voronezh, and Kursk, as well as over Crimea. Additional drones were shot down near Moscow and in the Nizhny Novgorod, Oryol, and Tambov regions.

Regional authorities reported no fatalities or major damage. Rostov’s acting governor, Yury Slyusar, confirmed that there were no injuries in his region. Smolensk Governor Vasily Anokhin acknowledged the attack but noted there was no immediate evidence of destruction or casualties.

In Volgograd’s Oktyabrsky District, debris from a downed drone damaged overhead railway power lines, according to local officials.

Ukraine has ramped up drone strikes into Russian territory in recent months, frequently targeting civilian areas and infrastructure. The Kremlin has condemned these actions as acts of terrorism aimed at non-military targets.

The drone barrage follows a recent round of peace negotiations in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian officials. While no ceasefire was agreed upon, some progress was reportedly made on humanitarian issues such as prisoner and civilian exchanges.

Moscow has reiterated its willingness to pursue a diplomatic resolution but insists that any agreement must address the underlying causes of the conflict and Russia’s broader security concerns.

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