"During the past night, from 20:00 Moscow time [17:00 GMT] on April 7 to 07:00 on April 8, air defense systems destroyed and intercepted 73 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the Oryol and Rostov Regions, the Krasnodar Territory, the Republic of Crimea, and the Azov and Black Seas," the ministry said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously noted that Ukrainian forces are sending hundreds of drones to strike Russian territory. He emphasized that the Kiev regime is deliberately targeting civilians in the regions, attacking civilian infrastructure and transport, including ambulances and agricultural machinery. The head of state described the methods used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Kiev's foreign mercenaries as terrorist.