Moscow [Russia], July 19 (ANI): Russia’s air defense systems intercepted more than 150 incoming aerial threats, including at least 13 drones headed toward Moscow overnight, according to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and Russia’s Ministry of Defense, RT reported.
Sobyanin confirmed that “at least 13 of those drones were intercepted en route to Moscow,” adding there were no casualties or damage. Emergency crews were deployed to respond to crash sites, RT said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that a total of 158 hostile aerial targets were downed since 6:15 pm Friday across multiple regions, including Bryansk, Oryol, Kaluga, Rostov, Tula, Kursk, Smolensk, Voronezh, and Moscow. The large-scale drone raid is one of the most extensive in recent weeks, RT noted.
Kiev has intensified its UAV attacks deep into Russian territory over the past week, with many targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure. “The Russian government has decried the strikes as ‘terrorist attacks’ which deliberately target civilians,” according to RT.
Sobyanin, who has been providing daily updates since Wednesday, said Moscow’s air defense forces have been increasingly active in recent nights due to the surge in drone assaults.
Last month, Sobyanin told reporters that “the city’s air defense system operates at the ‘highest level,’ intercepting 99.9% of targets.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also highlighted that Russia uses layered air defense systems to minimize the threat posed by such drone attacks.
In this context of heightened defense readiness, Russia remains open to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict but awaits signals from Kiev to resume direct negotiations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to a report by RT.
Addressing a routine press briefing, he noted the ground situation is evolving rapidly amid Ukraine’s hesitation to commit to a third round of talks.
“We should wait for some signals from the Kiev regime, who should say whether they want to hold a third round of direct talks or not,” Peskov said, as quoted by RT. “We have repeatedly said that we would prefer achieving our goals through peaceful political-diplomatic means.”
Peskov also warned that “as long as this outcome is impossible, the special military operation continues, and realities on the ground are changing every day,” RT reported.
Two rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine were held earlier this year in Istanbul — in mid-May and early June — but a third round has yet to be scheduled, RT added. (ANI)
