Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that air defense units destroyed 23 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight on August 18 across several regions of the country.

According to the ministry, eight drones were intercepted over the Tambov region, five over the waters of the Azov Sea, and two over the Black Sea. Two more were shot down in both the Belgorod and Rostov regions, while one drone was intercepted over each of the Kursk and Voronezh regions, Krasnodar Territory, and Crimea.

The ministry noted that Ukrainian forces continue to launch regular drone strikes against Russian border areas and central regions, often using so-called kamikaze UAVs. Most of these attempts, it said, are detected and neutralized by Russian air defense systems.

In response, Russian forces have been carrying out precision strikes on drone production facilities, defense industry sites, Ukrainian army positions, as well as weapons and equipment depots.