Russia's Defence Ministry says air defences downed 764 Ukrainian drones in 24 hours
In short
Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defences destroyed 764 Ukrainian drones and four guided aerial bombs over the past 24 hours. The ministry also said strikes hit drone production workshops, storage sites and ammunition depots, and Ukrainian temporary deployment points in 146 districts. Vedomosti reported that overnight on 7 October 311 drones were downed over 17 regions plus the Black and Azov Seas, and that drone debris cut power to several villages in the Voronezh region.
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Russia's Defence Ministry said on 7 October that its air defence forces destroyed 764 Ukrainian drones over the previous 24 hours, a figure carried by TASS, RIA Novosti, Interfax and Vedomosti. TASS and Interfax also reported that four guided aerial bombs were destroyed. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
In its statement, quoted by Interfax, the ministry said: “Operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the groupings of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation struck workshops producing unmanned aerial vehicles and their storage sites, ammunition and military property warehouses.” The ministry said Ukrainian temporary deployment points in 146 districts were also hit. [ 3 ]
Vedomosti reported earlier ministry figures alongside the daily total. It said that overnight on 7 October, Russian air defences downed 311 Ukrainian drones over 17 regions of the country and over the Black and Azov Seas. In the Voronezh region, debris from one of the drones damaged a power line, leaving several villages temporarily without electricity. [ 4 ]
Vedomosti also reported that between 08:00 and 20:00 Moscow time on 6 October, the military destroyed a further 110 drones over nine regions, the Moscow region and Crimea, and that overnight on 6 October the ministry reported destroying 868 drones over Russian regions. In the Moscow region, it said, two people died and dozens of private houses were damaged in an attack. [ 4 ]
The documents give no independent confirmation of the ministry's figures and do not state whether the overnight totals are included in the 24-hour count. The ministry's statements were reported by all four outlets on 7 October between 11:49 and 12:16 Moscow time. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The figures, issued by the Russian Defence Ministry and carried by all four outlets, describe the scale of daily drone exchanges in the war. Vedomosti's account of a damaged power line in the Voronezh region and of two deaths in the Moscow region the previous night indicates the effect on Russian regions. The claim of strikes on drone production workshops points to continued targeting of manufacturing capacity.
Key facts
- Russia's Defence Ministry said air defence forces destroyed 764 Ukrainian drones in 24 hours. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The ministry said four guided aerial bombs were also destroyed. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The ministry said aviation, strike drones, missile troops and artillery hit drone production workshops, drone storage sites and warehouses of ammunition and military property. [ 3 ]
- The ministry said Ukrainian temporary deployment points in 146 districts were hit. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti reported that overnight on 7 October, 311 Ukrainian drones were downed over 17 regions, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea. [ 4 ]
- Drone debris damaged a power line in the Voronezh region, leaving several villages temporarily without electricity, according to Vedomosti. [ 4 ]
- Vedomosti also reported 110 drones destroyed between 08:00 and 20:00 Moscow time on 6 October over nine regions, the Moscow region and Crimea, and 868 drones overnight on 6 October. [ 4 ]
- Two people died and dozens of private houses were damaged in the Moscow region in an attack, Vedomosti reported. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the 764 drones counted in the 24-hour total include or overlap with the 311 drones reported downed overnight on 7 October. Vedomosti reports the overnight figure separately from the ministry's daily total; the documents do not state how the two sets of figures relate.
- Where the 764 drones were downed and whether there was independent verification of the ministry's figures. All four documents rely on the Russian Defence Ministry's statement; no independent confirmation or regional breakdown of the daily total is given.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- From 08:00 to 20:00 Moscow time on 6 October, the Defence Ministry reported 110 drones destroyed over nine regions, the Moscow region and Crimea, according to Vedomosti. [ 4 ]
- TASS publishes its report on 764 drones downed in 24 hours. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti publishes the same daily figure. [ 2 ]
- Interfax publishes the ministry's statement including strikes on drone production workshops and 146 districts. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti publishes its report with the 764 figure and earlier overnight and daytime tallies. [ 4 ]