Moscow: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday that its air defense systems destroyed 289 Ukrainian drones overnight over several regions.

According to Qatar News Agency, the ministry stated that on-duty air defense systems neutralized the drones across several areas, including Bryansk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Kaluga, Smolensk, and Oryol.

Meanwhile, the governor of Russia's Leningrad Oblast, Alexander Drozdenko, reported that 18 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the region overnight, and a fire was detected in an industrial area in the city of Kirishi. He noted that the Leningrad regional fire and rescue service had initiated efforts to extinguish the blaze.

Since Feb. 24, 2022, Russia and Ukraine have issued near-daily reports on the course of the fighting and the affected areas. However, due to the ongoing war and the nature of the conflict, these statements cannot be independently verified.