Russia reports UAV attacks as Ukraine confirms strikes on Smolensk factory, Voronezh oil depot

The governors' official Telegram channels shared the information.

Bryansk region: Air defense allegedly destroys 18 UAVs

The governor of the Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, said that on the night of January 21, “the enemy made another attempt to launch a massive attack on the territory of the region.” However, Russian forces were allegedly able to intercept and destroy 18 drones, “including two jet aircraft.”

12 drones reported in Rostov region

The acting governor of the Rostov region, Yuri Slyusar, wrote on his Telegram channel that, last night in the northern part of the region, air defense systems "destroyed and suppressed 12 UAVs using electronic warfare." He added that the consequences of the attack are still being assessed.

Oil depot catches fire in Voronezh region

Governor Alexander Gusev reported on the UAV threat in the region on the evening of January 20. At 9:44 p.m. Kyiv time, he stated that air defense and electronic warfare forces in the Liski district "detected, destroyed, and suppressed several UAVs." The governor also noted that a new fire had broken out after one of the drones fell on the territory of an oil depot.

Later, the Ukrainian Defense Forces confirmed the damage to the oil depot in the Voronezh region. According to Ukraine's General Staff, Ukrainian drones attacked the Liskinskaya oil depot for the second time in a week.

Smolensk region targeted by UAVs; Aircraft factory likely hit, says CCD

Smolensk region governor Vasily Anokhin wrote about the UAV attack. 

The first report of the alleged UAV threat appeared at 11:41 p.m. Approximately an hour later, Anokhin stated that the attack was ongoing, suggesting that air defense systems were active. The Russian governor accused Ukraine of being responsible for the attack.

"The air defense forces of the Russian Defense Ministry have thwarted an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out an attack using unmanned aerial vehicles against facilities in the Smolensk region. According to preliminary information from the regional Ministry of Health, there were no casualties," he wrote an hour and a half later.

According to Anokhin, the windows of residential buildings were allegedly damaged and the roof caught fire as a result of the fall of UAV debris. 

According to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, the Smolensk Aviation Plant was targeted in the overnight attack. The plant is involved in the production and modernization of military aircraft, including Su-25 attack aircraft, and also provides overhaul and maintenance services. This enables Russia to sustain the combat capability of outdated aircraft models.

Later, Ukrainian Defense Forces confirmed the attack on the aircraft plant. 

“The Defense Forces, in particular the Unmanned Systems Forces and the Special Operations Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, hit the infrastructure of the Smolensk Aviation Plant in the Smolensk region of the Russian Federation, where combat aircraft are modernized and manufactured. Explosions were recorded on the territory of the aircraft plant,” the Ukrainian General Staff said in a statement.

“This plant is closely connected with other enterprises of the Russian defense complex, supplying components or participating in cooperation to create modern aircraft systems. Each strike on such a plant will destroy Russia's ability to maintain its own aircraft in a combat-ready state,” he added.

Russian Defense Ministry reports 55 “intercepted and shot down drones”

On the morning of January 21, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense system had intercepted and destroyed “55 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles” overnight. Of these, 22 were flying over the territory of the Bryansk region, 12 over the territory of the Rostov region, ten over the territory of the Smolensk region, six over the territory of the Voronezh region, and one over the territory of the Kursk region.

• On the night of Saturday, January 4, Russia reported drone attacks on five regions, with explosions heard in the Smolensk region.