Russian forces have downed nearly 200 Ukrainian drones over Kursk Region in 24 hours as a wave of cross-border attacks killed one civilian and injured three others, Governor Aleksandr Khinsthein has said. Homes, shops, and vehicles were also damaged across the Russian border region.
A total of 193 UAVs were intercepted between Tuesday and Wednesday, Khinshtein said in a statement on Wednesday. Ukrainian forces also shelled border areas 45 times and carried out 24 separate drone attacks using explosive devices, according to the governor.
A 49-year-old man was killed in a border village, while three other men were injured in incidents across the region, according to Khinshtein. The strikes also damaged homes, shops, and vehicles, with one car completely destroyed.
Kursk Region, which borders Ukraine, has faced a sharp increase in drone attacks in recent days. Russian forces downed 168 UAVs over the region during the previous 24-hour period and 169 between September 20 and 21, according to the governor.
The latest attacks come after a massive Ukrainian drone raid targeted Moscow and other Russian regions during last weekend’s parliamentary elections, killing three civilians and injuring dozens. More than 1,600 UAVs were repelled during the Sunday assault, including 450 on approaches to the Russian capital, according to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin. He described the attack as “unprecedented” and said it had been intended to disrupt the elections.
The worst damage was reported in Moscow Region, where a drone struck an apartment building, killing a 44-year-old woman and seriously injuring her husband, who later died in hospital. Their two children were also injured. An elderly man was killed when another drone hit and destroyed his home, while around 400 people, including 70 children, were evacuated from a 21-story apartment block after falling debris set its roof ablaze. Homes, warehouses, and other buildings were also damaged or set on fire across the region.
Russia has accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians with long-range drones and undermining diplomatic efforts while publicly calling for renewed negotiations. Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that the Ukrainian leadership is “talking about peace” while doing everything to prevent negotiations and an end to the conflict.