09:26 19-10-2025

Russia Downs 45 Ukrainian Drones in Overnight Air Defense Operation

By Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0, Link

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that 45 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across several regions, including Samara, Saratov, and Crimea, with minor infrastructure damage.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 45 Ukrainian drones during the night.

According to the ministry, the attack took place between 11:00 p.m. on October 18 and 7:00 a.m. on October 19. A total of 12 drones were shot down over the Samara region, 11 over Saratov, five each over Rostov and Voronezh, three over Crimea, two each over Bryansk and Lipetsk, and one drone each over the Volgograd, Orenburg, Ryazan, Tver, and Tula regions.

In the Orenburg region, the strike caused partial damage to the infrastructure of a gas processing plant. Regional governor Yevgeny Solntsev said a fire broke out in one of the workshops but was later brought under control. There were no casualties among the staff.

The attacks also temporarily disrupted air traffic in several regions. Airports in Orenburg, Samara, and Ufa briefly suspended operations overnight. A representative of Rosaviatsiya, Artem Korenyako, confirmed that restrictions for Samara and Ufa airports were lifted at 6:15 a.m. Moscow time.