---
title: "Nighttime attack with hundreds of drones: According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, air defense intercepted 373 Ukrainian UAVs over 12 regions and Crimea"
description: "On the night of October 20–21, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, air defense repelled a massive Ukrainian UAV attack across 12 regions and Crimea. The agency reported intercepting 373 drones; simultaneously, Russia carried out strikes on Ukrainian regions."
date: 2026-10-21T08:50:17.515Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/nighttime-attack-hundreds-drones-russia-crimea
tags: [ukraine-war, drones, air-defense, russia, kyiv, crimea]
author: "Roman V."
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Nighttime attack with hundreds of drones: According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, air defense intercepted 373 Ukrainian UAVs over 12 regions and Crimea

![Firefighters extinguish a burning factory building, clearing the aftermath of a nighttime strike](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/21/ukraina-ataka-sotnyami-dronov-na-12-regionov-rossii-i-kr-m/ukraina-ataka-sotnyami-dronov-na-12-regionov-rossii-i-kr-m-1.webp)

## Key Points

- According to the Russian Ministry of Defense report, air defense repelled an air attack from 20:00 on October 20 to 08:00 on October 21 Moscow time.
- The Russian agency claimed the interception and destruction of 373 Ukrainian airplane-type drones.
- According to RBC-Ukraine, the attack affected 12 regions of Russia and occupied Crimea.
- That same night, Russia launched missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian regions, with casualties reported in Kyiv.

Last night, from 20:00 on October 20 to 08:00 on October 21 Moscow time, loud explosions were recorded in various regions of Russia. According to RBC-Ukraine, citing a report by the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian air defense forces repelled a new massive air attack by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The agency emphasizes that hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles were used in a single night.

### Chronology and geography of the attack

According to the Russian defense ministry's statement, the air operation lasted about twelve hours—from the evening of October 20 to the morning of October 21. According to the headline of the original RBC-Ukraine source, Ukrainian drones were directed at 12 regions of Russia, as well as the territory of occupied Crimea. The specific list of regions is not fully disclosed in the published report, but the scale of the coverage is confirmed both at the agency level and in the publication's summary.

### Figures from the Russian Ministry of Defense

The Russian Ministry of Defense traditionally does not disclose the exact number of drones used during the attack. In its published statement, the agency reported that air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 373 Ukrainian airplane-type drones. Based on the total volume of claimed losses, RBC-Ukraine estimates that over 400 UAV units may have been deployed in the operation. Independent verification of these figures has not been carried out at this time.

### Retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian regions

That same night, according to RBC-Ukraine, Russia launched missile and drone strikes against a number of Ukrainian regions. Ukrainian air defense forces reportedly destroyed most of the enemy targets. The publication specifically points to the consequences of Russian strikes on Kyiv, where civilian casualties have been reported. Details and the final balance of the aftermath are being clarified.

### Context: The energy truce issue

Against the backdrop of mutual massive infrastructure strikes, the public sphere is discussing whether the Kremlin is ready to agree to an energy truce with Ukraine. This issue is becoming part of a broader context of nighttime air operations in which both sides are deploying significant numbers of drone and missile assets. No official confirmation of agreements on such a truce has been received at the time of publication.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Украина атаковала сотнями дронов 12 регионов РФ и оккупированный Крым](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayina-atakuvala-sotnyami-droniv-12-regioniv-1792571188.html) - The primary source confirms the chronology (20:00 Oct 20 — 08:00 Oct 21 Moscow time), the Russian Defense Ministry's statement regarding 373 intercepted airplane-type UAVs, the coverage of 12 Russian regions and Crimea, as well as Russia's retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian regions and casualties in Kyiv. Exact loss figures are a unilateral statement by Russia.

## FAQ

### How many drones were intercepted according to the Russian Ministry of Defense?

The Russian agency claimed the interception and destruction of 373 Ukrainian airplane-type drones. The exact number of deployed drones was not disclosed by the agency; RBC-Ukraine estimates it to be over 400 units.

### Which territories were affected by the attack?

According to the original RBC-Ukraine headline, Ukrainian drones were directed at 12 regions of Russia and the territory of occupied Crimea.

### Were there strikes against Ukraine that same night?

Yes, according to RBC-Ukraine, Russia attacked a number of Ukrainian regions with missiles and drones; air defense destroyed most targets, and casualties were reported in Kyiv.