Ukraine has launched a barrage of drone attacks against various regions of Russia in recent hours, including the capital Moscow, according to Russian officials. Russian air defenses shot down the drones, with no casualties reported.

According to Russian officials the Ukrainian drones targeted power plants and refineries in the neighboring regions of Moscow and Tver. Dozens of drones were also destroyed in other parts of the country.

The Baza Telegram news channel, which is close to Russia’s security services, reported that loud explosions were heard near the Konakovo power station in the Tver region, one of the largest power producers in central Russia.

The governor of Tver, Igor Rudenia, said five drones were destroyed over his region northwest of the capital. He did not report any possible damage. However, several channels on Telegram are posting videos showing explosions in the area of ​​the power plant.

In the early hours of the morning, three drones headed for Moscow were shot down, the mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sabianin, said. One of them was destroyed near the Moscow Oil Refinery, he added. However, there was no damage or threat to the refinery’s production process, it said. At least nine drones were destroyed in Moscow and the surrounding area in total, he underlined on Telegram.

“Our defense prevented an attempted mass drone attack in the Bryansk region,” regional governor Alexander Bagamaz said an hour after midnight. In a Telegram post, he spoke of at least 26 drones that were “identified and destroyed” by Russian forces, with no casualties or damage.

He claimed that last week the army had thwarted an attempted invasion by Ukrainian “saboteurs” in Bryansk, while neighboring Kursk Oblast faced a surprise attack by Ukrainian forces who crossed the border on August 6.

In Belgorod, regional governor Vychislav Gladkov reported that one building was completely destroyed and three others were damaged during an airstrike.

This was followed by reports of drone downings in Varonez, Lipetsk, Ryazan and Ariol regions.

Kiev pressures the United States for permission to use allied-supplied weapons to strike deep into Russia.

With its domestic drone industry growing rapidly, Kiev is stepping up its attacks on Russia, hitting energy, military and transport infrastructure – sectors vital to Moscow’s war efforts.

But Kiev says it should be allowed to use more powerful weapons to inflict more damage inside Russia and harm Moscow’s ability to continue its attacks on Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022.