Kiev Regime’s Drone Attacks on Russia Display of 'Sheer Futility,' Russian Diplomat Says

According to Maria Zakharova, the Ukrainian authorities have "simply run out of options"

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/TASS

© Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service/TASS

MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. Ukraine’s attempts to attack Russian territory using drones overnight on Wednesday demonstrate the "sheer futility" of the situation the Ukrainian authorities find themselves in and the death throes of the Kiev regime, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

In the early morning hours of August 30, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were deployed in several attempted attacks on a number of Russian regions. In Crimea, seaborne drones were used in an attempted attack on Sevastopol harbor.

"Obviously, these are the death throes of the Kiev regime; mindless hatred, malice and the lack of any prospects for their own development have engendered this type of terrorist activity. [They have] simply run out of options; [it is a display of] sheer futility," she said in remarks to Sputnik radio.

FACTBOX: Massive drone attack on Russian regions

Drone boats attempted to attack the bay of Sevastopol in Crimea, with the strike being repelled by anti-submarine warfare forces

MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. In the early hours of Wednesday, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) attempted to attack five regions in Central Russia and the Pskov Region in the country's northwest.

In Pskov, the attack caused a fire at the city’s airport. Several Il-76 military transport planes were damaged there. In other cases, drones were shot down by air defense units before causing any harm.

Also, drone boats attempted to attack the bay of Sevastopol in Crimea. The attack was repelled by anti-submarine warfare forces.

TASS compiled a summary of these events.

Attack on Pskov Airport

- Pskov Airport was attacked by drones. The attack was repelled by the Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense units.

- No casualties occurred.

- Air traffic above the Pskov Region and its administrative center was restricted. Pskov Airport will remain closed on August 30.

- The Pskov Region’s department of the Russian emergencies ministry said Il-76 military transport aircraft had caught fire.

- 21 pieces of firefighting equipment and vehicles and 65 people are involved in the firefighting effort.

Drone attack on central Russia

- According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defenses shot down three Ukrainian drones above the Bryansk Region in west Russia and one above the Oryol Region in Central Russia.

- Oryol Region Governor Andrey Klychkov said, however, that two drones had been intercepted above his region’s territory.

- The Russian Defense Ministry also reported that two Ukrainian drones had been downed in the Ryazan Region and one - in the Kaluga Region.

- Kaluga Region Governor Vladislav Shapsha said two drones had attacked his region: one was shot down and the other hit an empty oil tank.

- One drone was headed towards Moscow, but was intercepted above the Moscow Region’s Ruzsky municipal district.

- No casualties were reported in any of these cases.

- Moscow’s airports were briefly closed for arrivals and departures. By now, all restrictions have been lifted in Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky.

Drone boat attack on Sevastopol

- In the early hours of Wednesday, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozzhayev reported that forces of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet were repelling a drone attack near the main bay of the Crimean city of Sevastopol

- About an hour later, he said that anti-submarine warfare forces had completed their task. For now, there has been no precise information about the number and type of destroyed targets.