According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, in the early hours of 21 August, Russian air defense systems reportedly intercepted ten drones heading towards Moscow in the Podolsk area.

Sobyanin described this as “one of the most large-scale attempts to attack the Russian capital” since the Russian war against Ukraine started. The interceptions occurred between 3:02 am and 4:40 am local time, with no reported casualties.

The Moscow attack was part of a wider drone offensive. Bryansk and Tula oblasts also faced drone incursions, with 18 and 2 drones shot down, respectively.

Bryansk oblast governor Alexander Bogomaz said via Telegram that the attack on the border region in southwestern Russia resulted in no casualties or damage.

In a separate incident, Rostov oblast governor Vasily Golubev claimed air defenses destroyed a missile allegedly launched by Ukraine over the oblast, with no casualties reported.

Belgorod oblast governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that Russian air defenses destroyed several aerial targets in the area.

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