The governor of Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, stated that as the convoy approached the city, Belgorod’s air defense system engaged and eliminated 12 air targets. The claim was shared via the governor’s telegraph channel, highlighting the region’s immediate response to the evolving security situation.
Gladkov added that the regional emergency services had verified the results and were updating the public with on-site assessments. This confirmation underscored the coordinated effort between local authorities and the defense network to gather accurate information about the incident in real time.
Earlier reporting indicated that on August 20, Russian military authorities halted a planned operation they described as a terrorist attack in the Belgorod region. The attempt involved two drones characterized as unmanned aerial devices and was thwarted as those devices were neutralized on regional territory around 14:00 Moscow time by air defense assets. Official statements noted that there were no injuries and no material damage resulting from the event.
In another update on the morning of August 20, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle, interpreted as an aircraft-type drone, was moving toward Moscow but was suppressed using electronic warfare methods. This demonstrates the ongoing reliance on electronic countermeasures to disrupt hostile drone activity in the airspace over central Russia.
The defense posture described acknowledges that Russia has continued to refine and expand its drone suppression capabilities, reflecting a broader effort to protect critical urban and regional centers from aerial threats. Authorities emphasized that effective defense requires rapid intelligence gathering, coordinated response, and dependable communication to keep the public informed while ensuring operational security. The sequence of events illustrates the interplay between air defense platforms, electronic warfare assets, and on-the-ground vigilance that characterizes the current security environment in the region.