Russian forces intercepted and destroyed 644 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight on October 16, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The large-scale attack targeted dozens of regions across the country, with additional drones detected over the Black Sea.

The ministry reported interceptions over the Bryansk, Vologda, Volgograd, Voronezh, Vladimir, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Orenburg, Oryol, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula and Ulyanovsk regions. Russian forces also brought down drones over the Moscow and Leningrad regions, Krasnodar Krai, Crimea and Tatarstan, as well as over the Black Sea.

The overnight assault followed another series of Ukrainian drone attacks on October 15. Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Moscow time, Russian air defenses destroyed 80 fixed-wing UAVs, the ministry said. The interceptions took place over the Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Ryazan, Tambov and Tula regions, along with the Moscow region, Krasnodar Krai, Crimea and the Black Sea.

The Kursk region faced repeated attacks during the reporting period. Between 9 a.m. on October 15 and 9 a.m. on October 16, Russian forces shot down 146 Ukrainian drones of various types. Ukrainian troops also carried out 80 artillery strikes against evacuated districts and launched eight drone attacks involving explosive devices. Regional authorities reported no deaths or injuries.

In the Bryansk region, Russian military units destroyed 189 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over the past 24 hours.

The Belgorod region also came under sustained attack, recording 55 strikes by Ukrainian forces in a single day. The region was targeted by artillery fire on four occasions, while drones were used to drop explosive devices four times. Russian forces managed to shoot down or suppress 42 UAVs.

Two people were injured in the Grayvoron district during the attacks. Both will receive further medical treatment on an outpatient basis.