Moscow launched a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 with the aim of saving the people of Donbass - primarily the Russian-speaking population - from Kiev's constant attacks.

Russian Air Defenses Down 146 Ukrainian Drones Overnight: MoD

11:42, 15 December 2025

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Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed a total of 146 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over multiple regions of Russia between the night of December 14 and the morning of December 15, according to statements from the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Sputnik

The ministry said that between 11:00 p.m. Moscow time on December 14 and 7:00 a.m. on December 15, air defense forces shot down 130 drones. The largest number—38 UAVs—was intercepted over Astrakhan Region. Twenty-five drones were destroyed over Bryansk Region, while another 25 were intercepted over the Moscow region, including 15 that were heading toward Moscow.

Additional interceptions during that period were reported over Belgorod Region (eight drones), Rostov Region (eight), Kaluga Region (eight), Tula Region (six), the Republic of Kalmykia (four), Kursk Region (three), Oryol Region (three), Ryazan Region (one), and over the Caspian Sea (one).

In a subsequent update, the Defense Ministry said that between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Moscow time, air defense systems destroyed another 16 Ukrainian UAVs. Six drones were intercepted over Kaluga Region, five over Bryansk Region, four over the Moscow region—including three flying toward Moscow—and one over Tambov Region.