Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 616 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones during a 12-hour period spanning October 23 and 24, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The ministry reported that the large-scale drone attack began at 8:00 p.m. Moscow time on October 23 and continued until 8:00 a.m. on October 24. Air defense units were engaged in intercepting incoming unmanned aerial vehicles across numerous Russian regions throughout the night.

According to the official statement, Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the Saratov, Kursk, Penza, Smolensk, Volgograd, Kaluga, Rostov, Tambov, Bryansk, Ulyanovsk, Oryol, Samara, Voronezh, Kirov, Tula, Belgorod, Ryazan and Lipetsk regions.

Additional interceptions were reported over the Moscow region, Krasnodar Territory, the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Crimea.

Russian air defenses also destroyed Ukrainian UAVs over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the ministry said.

Ukrainian forces regularly launch drone attacks against targets on Russian territory. Russian air defense units intercept and destroy the vast majority of these kamikaze drones, according to Russian accounts.

In response to these attacks, Russian forces conduct precision strikes using jet-powered drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Ukrainian defense industry facilities, energy infrastructure and logistics networks supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Russian strikes also target Ukrainian military command posts and troop deployment locations.