UPDATE - Russia says it thwarted Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow, Leningrad regions

UPDATES WITH INFORMATION FROM UKRAINIAN MEDIA

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia’s Defense Ministry on Thursday said it thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack on the country’s Moscow and Leningrad regions.

“On January 18, at about 01:30 Moscow time (2230GMT), an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped,” said a ministry statement.

The statement further said that air defense systems destroyed a UAV over the Moscow region while intercepting another over the Leningrad region surrounding St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city.

According to Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed official in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, the attack targeted an oil terminal in St. Petersburg with an aircraft-type drone carrying explosives.

Rogov said that the drone's wreckage was found on the territory of the Petersburg Oil Terminal, adding that the terminal was not damaged and no one was injured.

An unnamed source from Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) told the RBC-Ukraine news agency that the drone attack in the Leningrad region was part of a special operation conducted by the HUR with confirmed hits on targets.

However, Ukraine has yet to officially comment on the developments, and independent verification is difficult due to the ongoing war.