According to the Defense Ministry, Russian air defense systems destroyed 41 unmanned aerial vehicles during a two hour window from 20:30 to 22:00 Moscow time. Officials described the activity as a focused defensive operation conducted across several fronts by on duty air defense assets ready to counter aerial threats.
Regional tallies show 20 drones downed over Kursk, 13 over Bryansk, four over Oryol, three over Belgorod, and one over Crimea. The distribution emphasizes a broad pattern of incursions and demonstrates how the air defense network was mobilized to counter UAVs across multiple regions within a short period.
Early on October 31 the Defense Ministry stated that Russian troops had shot down 21 unmanned aerial vehicles belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces during the night. The ministry added that on duty air defense systems intercepted eight UAVs in the Rostov region, five in Kursk, three in Volgograd, and two in Bryansk, underscoring sustained countermeasures across the southern and western sectors.
Additionally, a drone was downed over Belgorod and Voronezh regions and over the Black Sea, illustrating continued vigilance along inland borders and at sea approaches as part of the ongoing air defense posture.
During the night the Defense Ministry reported the downing of 39 unmanned aerial vehicles belonging to the Ukrainian army, a figure that reflects ongoing aerial activity and the constant readiness of interception forces across multiple airspace corridors.
Earlier reports from Ukraine described a large missile strike targeting a bridge in the Odessa region, a development that fits into the broader pattern of military operations unfolding in the area and influencing regional security considerations.