India, May 17 -- Russia's Defense Ministry said Saturday that its air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 67 Ukrainian drones in a sweeping two-hour aerial assault that targeted multiple Russian regions, including areas near Moscow and strategic territories along the Black Sea.

The ministry said the attacks took place between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Moscow time on May 16, describing the barrage as one of the most geographically widespread Ukrainian drone operations reported in recent weeks.

According to the Russian military, the drones were intercepted over the Belgorod, Kursk, Bryansk, Oryol, Voronezh, Rostov, Kaluga, Tula, and Moscow regions, as well as over Krasnodar Territory and sections of the Black Sea.Russian officials did not i...