Russia says it downed a record 1,750 Ukrainian drones and 17 Flamingo missiles in 24 hours

Ukraine carried out what appears to be its largest long-range strike campaign of the war over the 24 hours to Tuesday, 6 October, judging by figures from Russia’s Defence Ministry, the Kyiv Post reported. The ministry said Russian air defences had intercepted 1,750 fixed-wing drones and 17 Ukrainian-made Flamingo cruise missiles, as well as two guided bombs and a HIMARS rocket. The numbers have not been independently verified.

Records

The drone figure exceeds the previous record of 1,671 Ukrainian drones claimed by Russia on 18 August. Russia had previously never reported intercepting more than three to six Flamingos in a single day. Earlier on Tuesday, AP reported the ministry’s overnight figure of nearly 900 drones over several regions, occupied Crimea and the Sea of Azov.

Moscow and its fuel hub

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 650 drones had flown toward the capital region overnight, with 105 shot down as they approached the city, and later reported 68 more. Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said 185 drones were destroyed over 16 municipalities, two people were killed and nine injured, and 47 private homes and an apartment building in Lobanovo were damaged. Among the reported targets was Transneft’s Volodarskaya station, a major fuel storage and distribution hub that supplies petrol, diesel and jet fuel, including to Moscow airports; the extent of any damage was unclear. More than 200 flights at Moscow airports were reportedly delayed or cancelled.

Kyiv braces

The same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had received updated intelligence that Russia was preparing a “massive strike” and that countermeasures were being prepared. He said defence against ballistic missiles remains the hardest problem, as those supplies depend “entirely on our partners”.