CaliToday (06/10/2025): The war between Russia and Ukraine has escalated dramatically on the aerial front, with Moscow claiming to have neutralized a massive wave of Ukrainian drones, while a retaliatory Ukrainian strike crippled the power grid in the major Russian city of Belgorod.
The fierce exchange highlights a new, attritional phase of the conflict, with both sides leveraging unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to strike deep beyond the front lines.
Russia Claims Interception of Massive Drone Swarm
The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement on Monday, claiming its air defense systems had a remarkably busy night, successfully intercepting and destroying "hundreds" of Ukrainian drones. The alleged large-scale assault targeted multiple regions, representing one of the most significant coordinated drone attacks launched by Kyiv to date, according to Moscow.
While these numbers have not been independently verified, the claim itself points to the sheer scale of drone warfare now being waged. Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range UAVs to target Russian military infrastructure, command centers, and supply depots far from the battlefield, aiming to disrupt logistics and degrade Moscow's war-fighting capabilities.
Widespread Blackouts in Belgorod After Ukrainian Strike
In a powerful demonstration of its own cross-border strike capability, Ukraine launched a successful attack on the Russian city of Belgorod. The city, a critical logistical and military hub located just 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Ukrainian border, was hit by a series of explosions that targeted its energy infrastructure.
Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed the attacks, stating that they caused widespread power outages across the city and surrounding districts. Emergency crews were dispatched to repair the damage as large parts of the city were plunged into darkness.
The strike on Belgorod is a clear signal of Ukraine's strategy to bring the consequences of the war directly onto Russian soil. By targeting key infrastructure, Kyiv aims to exert pressure on Moscow and demonstrate that Russian territory is not immune to the conflict. This attack serves as a direct and impactful retaliation for Russia's own relentless strikes on Ukraine's energy grid.
As the fighting on the ground continues with brutal intensity, the war in the air has become a critical and rapidly evolving theater of operations. This latest exchange of drone swarms and infrastructure strikes shows that both Kyiv and Moscow are committed to a long-range attritional battle, with civilians on both sides of the border increasingly feeling the impact.