Russia claims it downed more than 2,300 drones launched by Ukraine over past week
Russia claimed on Tuesday that it downed more than 2,300 drones launched by Ukraine over the past week, as both Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of large-scale airstrikes for three consecutive nights.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday claimed that over 900 attack drones were launched against his country in the past three days, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles, which have killed over 20 people based on reports from local authorities, including in the capital Kyiv.
“There is no military logic in this, but it is a clear political choice – the choice of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, the choice of Russia – the choice to keep waging war and destroying lives,” Zelenskyy said in a video address.
Meanwhile, authorities in Russia also reported increased drone activity from Ukraine over the country, including some which it claimed were intercepted on approach toward Moscow.
Commenting on the strikes, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his Russian counterpart has gone “absolutely CRAZY,” which the Kremlin argued was a response connected to “emotional overload.”
A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted 2,331 Ukrainian drones between 8 pm on May 20 (1700GMT) and 8 am this morning (0500GMT), of which 1,465 were shot down outside the area of its “special military operation,” which Moscow uses to define the ongoing conflict.
The statement accused Kyiv of significantly increasing the number of attacks using drones and Western-made missiles on civilian targets in Russia since May 20, saying Moscow, in response, struck “exclusively at military facilities and enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine.”
It accused Kyiv of taking “a number of provocative steps” to disrupt peace talks to end the Ukraine war, with the support of “certain European countries.” The statement did not elaborate further.
The Russian military will continue to carry out “massive and group strikes in response to any terrorist attacks and provocations,” the statement said, as it listed multiple attacks launched on Ukraine during this period.
Ukrainian authorities did not immediately comment on Russia’s claims.
