MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. Air defense forces destroyed and intercepted 23 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"During the past night, from 08:00 p.m. Moscow time on August 17 to 06:00 a.m. Moscow time on August 18, air defense alert systems intercepted and destroyed 23 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles: 8 over the territory of the Tambov Region, 5 over the waters of the Sea of Azov, 2 over the waters of the Black Sea, 2 over the territory of the Belgorod Region, 2 over the territory of the Rostov Region, 1 over the territory of the Kursk Region, 1 over the territory of the Voronezh Region, 1 over the territory of the Krasnodar Region, and 1 over the territory of the Republic of Crimea," the ministry said.