Russia said on Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted hundreds of drones launched by Ukraine, including multiple attacks near Saint Petersburg, as both sides intensified strikes in the ongoing war.
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According to the Russian defence ministry, a total of 376 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight across several regions, including areas close to Moscow and the northwest region surrounding Saint Petersburg. The ministry said drones were intercepted over multiple territories, including border regions and areas near key infrastructure sites.
Regional officials in the Leningrad region, where Saint Petersburg is located, said 86 drones were shot down, describing ongoing combat operations. The city was hosting the final day of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, a major economic gathering often used by Russian officials to highlight investment opportunities and geopolitical positions.
Ukraine is showing one of the most important tactical shifts of this war: commercial satellite imagery, mobile devices and attack drones being fused into a much shorter kill chain.
The sensor-to-shooter cycle is moving directly to the front line.
My thread: https://t.co/RtXDrq22am— The Tectonic (@thetect0nic) June 6, 2026
Authorities also reported that Russian air defences intercepted drones targeting Moscow, with the city’s mayor confirming several incoming UAVs were destroyed before reaching the capital.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian regional officials reported casualties from Russian strikes. In southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, authorities said the bodies of two men were recovered after a recent attack. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, one person was killed and three others injured following drone and artillery strikes, according to local officials.
Russian authorities also reported a fire at an oil depot in Ust-Labinsk in southern Russia after a drone attack, although no casualties were confirmed. Officials said emergency services were deployed to contain the blaze.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have significantly increased drone operations in recent months, with each side targeting military infrastructure, energy facilities, and logistics networks. The escalation comes as international diplomatic efforts to end the war have stalled, despite continued calls for negotiations from global partners.
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Russia’s defence ministry said it continues to strengthen air defence systems in response to repeated drone incursions, while Ukrainian officials maintain that strikes are focused on reducing Russia’s military capabilities and disrupting supply routes used in the conflict.