REVISES HEADLINE, DECK & LEDE, ADDS STATEMENT BY RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY
By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - At least 34 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying towards Russia’s capital Moscow early morning were shot down, Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday.
A statement by the ministry claimed that the country's air defenses downed 70 Ukrainian drones between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time (0400GMT and 0700GMT) over six different regions, of which 34 were intercepted over the capital.
Earlier, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said in a statement on Telegram that 32 drones flying towards the Russian capital were downed over the Moscow region’s Domodedovsky, Ramensky and Kolomensky districts.
There is no damage or casualties at the site of the falling debris, Sobyanin said, adding emergency services are working at the scene.
The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) lifted the temporary restrictions earlier imposed at Moscow’s Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Zhukovsky airports.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the drone attacks.