Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that overnight air defences shot down 63 Ukrainian drones over several regions of the country.

According to the ministry, between 23:00 Moscow time on 17 January and 7:00 on 18 January, on-duty air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 63 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

The heaviest activity was recorded over Belgorod Region, where 23 drones were downed. Another 13 were destroyed over Bryansk Region, six over Rostov Region and six over the Republic of Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya. Four drones were shot down over each of Astrakhan and Volgograd Regions, and two over Kursk Region. One drone was intercepted over each of Voronezh and Ryazan Regions, Stavropol Krai, Crimea and the airspace above the Azov Sea.

In response to the situation, temporary flight restrictions were introduced at the airports of Volgograd and Tambov, while in Penza Region the «Kover» contingency plan was activated. Operations at Tambov airport were resumed three and a half hours later.

Governor of Rostov Region Yuriy Slyusar said that an air attack had been repelled in the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy and the Milyutinskiy District, adding that there were no reports of casualties or damage on the ground.

Governor of Orlov Region Andrey Klychkov, for his part, reported that two drones had been destroyed over the region in the past 24 hours. He stated that there were no injuries or damage, and that EMERCOM personnel were working at the impact sites.