At least five drones flying towards Moscow on Saturday night were destroyed in the region surrounding the Russian capital, Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in posts on the Telegram messaging app.
Some 26 Ukraine-launched drones were destroyed over the border region of Bryansk in Russia's southwest, the region's governor, Alexander Bogomaz, said on Telegram.
Sergey Sobyanin (L) says a drone attack on Moscow was repelled by Russian air defence systems. (AP PHOTO)
More than 10 drones were destroyed over the Voronezh region and several more were downed over Kursk, Lipetsk, Ryazan and Tula regions, governors of the regions said in posts on Telegram.
There were no injuries or damage as a result of the attacks, according to preliminary information. Russia rarely discloses the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukraine's air attacks.
Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
As Ukraine's domestic drone industry grows rapidly, Kyiv has been stepping up its attacks, striking energy, military and transport infrastructure - sectors that are vital to Moscow's war efforts.
Kyiv says, however, that it needs to be allowed to use more powerful Western-supplied weapons to inflict greater damage inside Russia and impair Moscow's abilities to continue with its relentless attacks on Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's senior officials were in Washington last week, appealing to the US for what Zelenskiy called, "capabilities to truly and fully" protect the country.
These days, a Ukrainian delegation, including the First Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, representatives of the General Staff, and the Head of the Office of the President, is working in Washington. There have been meetings at various levels, and one of our top… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) pic.twitter.com/5PuZMy3eDnAugust 31, 2024
Washington has provided Ukraine with more than $US50 billion ($A74 billion) worth of military aid since 2022, but has limited the use of its weapons to Ukrainian soil and defensive cross-border operations.
"Clearing the Ukrainian sky of Russian guided aerial bombs is a strong step to force Russia to seek an end to the war and a just peace," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address on Saturday.
