Ukraine launches 160 drones on Russia in 24 hours, areas engulfed in smoke

The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that its air defence systems intercepted 33 Ukrainian drones in the country’s western border regions. It was reported that air defence systems on duty shot down 13 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles between 9:30 AM and 12:00 PM Moscow time. Twelve of these were in the Bryansk region and one in the Kaluga region.

Russia’s Statement

The ministry further reported that 20 more drones were destroyed within the following two hours; eight in Bryansk, seven in Smolensk, three in Kursk, and two in Kaluga.

Earlier in August, Russia accused Ukraine of escalating attacks before a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

In a social media post, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that 22 people were killed and 105 injured in Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks over the past week. The ministry also shared a map highlighting the affected areas in Russian territory.

Zelensky Discusses Security Guarantees

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he discussed security guarantees for Ukraine during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General in Kyiv.

In a statement on his official website, Zelenskyy said, “The outcome we need to achieve is a clear framework specifying which countries assist us on the ground, which countries are responsible for securing our airspace, which countries guarantee security at sea and support Ukraine.” He further added that this guarantee should include funding for the Ukrainian army from allied countries.