"During the past night, in an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out terrorist attacks using aircraft-type UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation, air defense systems on duty destroyed and intercepted 51 Ukrainian UAVs," the ministry said in a statement.
A total of 18 drones were intercepted over the Tambov Region, 16 over the Belgorod Region, four each over the Bryansk, Lipetsk and Oryol regions, three over the Voronezh Region and one over the Kursk Region, according to the statement.
Additionally, one Ukrainian drone was destroyed over the waters of the Sea of Azov, the statement said.
Russian officials have repeatedly slammed Ukraine drone attacks, stressing that the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure has exposed Kiev regime as terrorist state.