On August 30, Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted a massive UAV attack on Russian regions, mostly targeting civilian infrastructure – a move generally considered a war crime by international law. Russian air defenses downed or suppressed the drones. Here is a brief summary of the events.
Drone Attack on Moscow Region
One Ukrainian drone was downed by air defense systems in Ruzsky urban district [a Moscow suburb], said Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
"Tonight, a mass drone attack was attempted in the Central Federal District," the mayor wrote on his Telegram channel.
He noted that one drone heading for Moscow was destroyed by air defense forces near Ruza. "According to preliminary data, there were no casualties or damage. Emergency services are working at the scene of the incident," he added.
Drone Attack on Pskov Airport
The airport in Pskov was attacked by drones, the governor of the Pskov region Mikhail Vedernikov said.
"The Ministry of Defense at the Pskov airport repels the attack of drones. Since the beginning of the incident, I have been personally on the spot. According to preliminary information, there are no casualties. The scale of the destruction is being specified. I will give more detailed information after completing emergency operations, which I will personally guide," he wrote in his Telegram channel.
A fire broke out at Pskov airport after a drone attack but the damage was localized, there is no threat of the fire spreading, according to the video commentary of the rescuer Sergey Lavrukhin, published in Vedernikov's Telegram channel.
"As the rescue units arrived, the forces were sent to extinguish the fire. At the moment, the fire is localized. There is no threat of proliferation, there are no dead or injured. Extinguishing the fire continues," Lavrukhin said.
The drone attack on the Pskov airport led to a fire that consumed Il-76 military transport aircraft, reports the website of the regional headquarters of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
"On August 29, at 23.28, a message was received about the ignition of Il-76 military transport aircraft in Pskov," the statement says.
21 units of equipment and 65 people were involved in the elimination of the consequences.
Drone Attack on Sevastopol, Crimea
The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozzhaev, said that in the area of Sevastopol Bay, according to preliminary information, the forces of the anti-terrorist operation were able to repel attacks by Ukrainian drones.
"In the area of Sevastopol Bay, according to preliminary information, the forces of the anti-terrorist operation repel attacks by enemy drones from the sea. All forces and services are on alert. Keep calm and trust only official information," he wrote in his telegram channel.
Later Mikhail Razvozhaev announced that the anti-submarine and sabotage support forces that repelled the attack of drones from the sea near Sevastopol Bay have finished work in the water area, there is no accurate information about the destroyed targets yet.
"The anti-underwater sabotage support forces have finished their work in the water area. At the moment, there is no exact information about the number and type of destroyed targets. The monitoring of the situation continues," he wrote in his telegram channel.
Drone Attack on the Bryansk and Oryol Regions
The governor of the Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, said that three drones were shot down over Bryansk when repelling an attack by Ukrainian drones, there were no casualties.
Earlier, the Defense Ministry reported that on the night of August 30, an attempt by Kiev to carry out an attack by aircraft-type drones on objects in Russia was stopped. Three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down over the territory of the Bryansk region and another UAV over the territory of the Oryol region by air defense on duty.
"The air defense forces of the Russian Defense Ministry stopped the attack of Ukrainian terrorists. Three unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down over Bryansk. There are no casualties. Operational and emergency services are working," he wrote in his telegram channel.
"An unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down over the Sovetsky district of Bryansk. There are no casualties. As a result of the drone crash, the roof and glazing of the administrative building were partially damaged. There is a fire. Operational and emergency services are working on the spot," Bogomaz added.
Later it was announced that two Ukrainian drones tried to attack a TV tower in Russia's city of Bryansk, Alexander Bogomaz, the regional governor said, adding that the attack was thwarted by air defense forces, causing no casualties or damage.
"Another attack by Ukrainian terrorists was thwarted by the air defense forces of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Two drones tried to attack the TV tower [in Bryansk]. There were no casualties or damage. The fire at the site of the downed drones was eliminated," Bogomaz wrote on Telegram.
Hours later, one more Ukrainian drone was downed over Bryansk Region, Alexander Bogomaz said.
"The air defense forces of the Russian Defense Ministry stopped the attack of Ukrainian terrorists. Another aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down. There are no casualties or damage," Bogomaz wrote on Telegram.
Drone Attack on the Kaluga Region
At about 2:00 Moscow time on August 30, an attempt by Ukraine to carry out a terrorist attack by an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of Russia was stopped, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"On August 30, at about 2:00 Moscow time [11.00pm GMT], another attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped," the message says.
"An airplane-type UAV was destroyed on the territory of the Sukhinich district tonight. There are no casualties or infrastructure damage. The glazing of one residential building is broken. Operational services are working on the spot," wrote the Governor of the Kaluga Region Vladislav Shapsha in his telegram channel.
He also clarified that in the Dzerzhinsky district the drone got into an empty tank for storing petroleum products. "As a result, there was a fire, which was promptly eliminated. There are no casualties. Operational services are working at the scene," the governor added.
Several hours later, Russia’s air defense also downed one more drone in the Kaluga Region, and the incident did not result in casualties or damage on the ground, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said.
“Also this afternoon, another drone was shot down on the territory of the Dzerzhinsky district [of the Kaluga Region] by air defense forces. The wreckage of the drone fell far from settlements. There were no casualties or destruction of infrastructure,” Shapsha wrote on his Telegram channel.
Drone Attack on the Ryazan Region
On the night of August 30, a Ukrainian drone was destroyed by air defenses on duty over the Ryazan region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"On August 30, around 2:30 Moscow time [11.30 pm GMT], an attempt by the Kiev regime to commit a terrorist attack by an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped. The Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the territory of the Ryazan region by the air defense means on duty," the message says.
At about 4:00 am Moscow time [1 am GMT], air defense means destroyed another Ukrainian drone over the region, the Russian Defense Ministry added.
There were no casualties or destruction after a night attack by a UAV in the Ryazan region, the regional government told Sputnik.
Ukrainian troops resorted to drone warfare in last several months after loss of several strategic locations and growing number of casualties. Military experts stress that Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia pursue no meaningful military goal apart from boosting morale among Ukrainians.