UPDATE - Russia claims foiling Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, Bryansk, Crimea regions

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE AND LEDE, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Monday claimed foiling Ukrainian drone attacks over the regions of Moscow, Bryansk, and Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014.

A statement by the Defense Ministry said it destroyed two Ukrainian drones during a "terrorist attack" over Crimea at around 10:30 a.m. Moscow time (0730GMT).

In earlier releases, the ministry said air defense forces thwarted drone attacks over the Lyuberetsky district, Moscow region, and the Bryansk region.

The Federal Air Transport Agency said flights from Moscow's Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports were temporarily restricted "in order to ensure the safety of civil aircraft flights."

Drone strikes inside Russia have dramatically increased in recent months, with authorities accusing Ukraine of being behind them. Although Kyiv has not claimed responsibility, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in July the attacks on Russian territory were an “inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process.”