MOSCOW, Sept 11 V7N – The Ramenskoye district, located about 50 km (31 miles) southeast of the Kremlin, has a population of approximately 250,000, according to official statistics. Russia's defense ministry reported that over 70 drones were intercepted in the Bryansk region, with additional drones downed in other areas, though no damage or casualties were reported there.As Russia continues its military operations in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine has responded by launching cross-border attacks into Russia's western Kursk region, which began on August 6, and by conducting increasingly large drone strikes deep within Russian territory.

The Drone War

The ongoing conflict has primarily evolved into a protracted artillery and drone war along a heavily fortified front line stretching 1,000 km (620 miles) in southern and eastern Ukraine, involving hundreds of thousands of troops. Both Moscow and Kyiv have been actively acquiring and developing new drones, employing innovative tactics to deploy them and counteract enemy drones, utilizing methods ranging from shotguns to advanced electronic jamming systems.Both sides have transformed inexpensive commercial drones into effective weapons, ramping up production to target military assets, including tanks and energy infrastructure like refineries and airfields.

President Vladimir Putin has condemned Ukrainian drone strikes on civilian infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants, labeling them as acts of terrorism and promising a response.While major Russian cities, including Moscow, have largely been insulated from the direct impacts of the war, Russia has launched thousands of missiles and drones at Ukraine over the past two and a half years, resulting in significant civilian casualties and extensive damage to Ukraine's energy systems and infrastructure.

Ukraine asserts its right to retaliate deep into Russian territory, although its Western allies have expressed concerns about escalating tensions that could lead to a direct confrontation with NATO. There was no immediate response from Ukraine regarding the recent attacks, and both sides deny targeting civilians.The recent drone attacks follow earlier strikes by Ukraine in September, which primarily focused on Russian energy and power facilities. In the Tula region, adjacent to Moscow, authorities reported that drone wreckage had fallen onto a fuel and energy facility, but operations at the facility were not disrupted.

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