MOSCOW, Aug. 7 -- Russian air defense systems intercepted 281 Ukrainian drones in the twelve hours ending Wednesday evening, the Russian Defense Ministry said, in what appeared to be one of the heavier single-day aerial exchanges recorded in the Russian operation in Ukraine.

The interceptions took place between 08:00 and 20:00 Moscow time - 05:00 to 17:00 GMT. The ministry provided no breakdown of the drones' regional distribution or intended targets, and reported no casualties or infrastructure damage from those that may have evaded interception. Neither the Ukrainian military command nor the Ukrainian government had confirmed any strike outcomes at the time of publication.

Ukraine's long-range drone campaign has expanded steadily in s...