According to the Associated Press on December 17**, Russia and Ukraine launched large-scale drone attacks on each other's territory for the second consecutive day on the 17th, one of which was apparently aimed at a Russian military airport.
The Russian Defense Ministry posted on the social media platform Telegram that at least 35 Ukrainian drones were shot down in three regions of southwestern Russia overnight.
The report quoted information on the "Telegram" software as saying that a Russian air base with bombers used in the mission against Ukraine was also among the targets. The account posted a short ** of the drone allegedly flying over low-rise residences in the Russian town of Morozovsk, an air base in the town of Morozovsk, where the Russian 559th Bomber Regiment is located.
The governor of Russia's Rostov region, Vasily Golubev, additionally reported a "massive drone attack" near Morozovsk and another town further west, but did not mention the aforementioned air base, the report said. Golubev said that most of the drones were shot down and there were no personnel **. He did not comment on the losses.
Also on the morning of the 17th, the Ukrainian Air Force said they had shot down 20 "Witness" drones launched by Russian forces in southern and western Ukraine the night before, as well as an X-59 cruise missile launched from the occupied south of Ukraine.
With Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly two years underway, both sides have stepped up drone strikes over the past month, eager to show that they are not at an impasse.
*: Reference message.