Russia says it shot down 116 Ukrainian drones in 12 hours

Russia's Defense Ministry said on July 6 that its air defense units intercepted and destroyed 116 Ukrainian drones between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Moscow time during patrol operations. The ministry said the interceptions covered the Moscow, Kaluga, Tula, Tver, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Omsk, Leningrad and Smolensk regions, along with Krasnodar Krai, the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Bashkortostan, and the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. In a separate statement earlier in the day, the ministry said 613 of 625 Ukrainian drones sent against civilian facilities and energy infrastructure in southwestern Russia had been shot down. It added that an intensified missile strike was carried out against Kyiv and its surrounding areas in response to the drone attack. The ministry released the figures in response to claims by Kyiv that Russian strikes had targeted civilian areas and energy facilities. No further details on casualties or damage were provided in the statements.