The Russian armed forces deployed air defense systems to counter missiles and rockets from Ukrainian forces, reporting the destruction of seven projectiles launched from the HIMARS and Vampire multiple launch rocket systems. This information was released by the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense via its communication channels. The claim highlights a defense outcome where seven rockets were intercepted and eliminated before reaching their intended targets, illustrating the ongoing use of layered air defense by Russian forces in response to Ukrainian missile and rocket attacks.
According to the defense ministry, Russian units also engaged in operations over several populated and strategically significant locations. The ministry stated that a total of 28 unmanned aerial vehicles belonging to Ukrainian forces were neutralized in the vicinity of urban and rural settlements within the Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as in areas of the Kherson region. These locations included Zolotorevka, Spornoe, Belogorovka, Kleshcheevka, Nikolaevka, Cossack Camps, Novaya Mayachka, and Peschanivka, with the air defense response described as effective against aerial threats in residential zones and surrounding infrastructure.
In a separate set of disclosures, the public release referenced images showing Ukrainian prisoners of war linked to a transport aircraft that reportedly sustained damage near Belgorod. At the crash site, authorities indicated the discovery of human remains and identification documents associated with Ukrainian military personnel. Additionally, a meeting with student participants of a public security event featured remarks by the Russian president explaining why the Il-76 transport aircraft could not be brought down by Russian air defense systems, offering a rationale tied to the technical and strategic considerations at play during the incident.
Earlier reports described an additional air defense engagement in which Russian systems intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle operated by Ukrainian forces over the Belgorod region, reinforcing the pattern of air defense activity reported in the broader campaign. The sequence of incidents reflects a complex operational environment in which air defense networks are utilized to counter a range of aerial threats, including rockets, missiles, and unmanned aircraft, with claims of successful interceptions and the transfer of battlefield information between defense agencies and state media outlets.