Russian and Ukrainian authorities have reported large-scale drone attacks overnight on July 31, with both sides releasing figures on intercepted and launched unmanned aerial vehicles.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence forces intercepted 371 fixed-wing drones overnight. According to the ministry, the drones were destroyed over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Volgograd, Kursk, Rostov and Tula regions, as well as over Krasnodar Krai, Dagestan, Tatarstan and the Sea of Azov and Black Sea areas.
Drone attack warnings were issued overnight in Tatarstan, Volgograd, Samara, Penza and Rostov regions. Temporary restrictions on aircraft arrivals and departures were introduced at several airports across Russia. The authorities also reported casualties in Volgograd and Rostov regions.
The Russian Defence Ministry said that on the evening of July 30, Russian forces carried out strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure and vessels. It said fuel and lubricant storage tanks were damaged at the port of Odesa, while a cargo ship carrying military supplies to one of Ukraine’s ports was hit at sea south of Odesa.
Ukraine’s side said Russia attacked the country overnight on July 31 with 255 strike drones of various types.
According to preliminary Ukrainian data, air defence forces shot down or suppressed 195 Russian drones. Ukrainian authorities recorded impacts from 22 strike drones at 14 locations, as well as debris falling at four locations.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said that two people were killed and three others injured in the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
