Russia Claims Downing 149 Ukrainian Drones, Reports Advances in Zaporizhzhia

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Monday that 149 Ukrainian drones were shot down over the past night. These unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted and destroyed by Russian air defense systems in various regions, including Bryansk, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov. Data published by Mehr News Agency indicated these figures.

In related developments, Sergey Rudskoy, Deputy Chief of the General Staff and Head of the Operations Department of the Russian Army General Staff, stated that Russian forces are positioned 12 kilometers from the city of Zaporizhzhia. He also noted extensive advances in Ukraine’s Sumy region, with control established over nine areas.

Previously, Rudskoy had released figures on Ukrainian army losses for 2025. He indicated that Ukraine lost approximately 6,700 tanks and combat armored vehicles, over 12,000 pieces of artillery and mortars, and more than 520,000 military personnel during that year. Rudskoy also estimated the total casualties for Ukrainian military forces since the beginning of the special military operation to be over 1.5 million people.

In contrast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had stated on February 4, 2025, that the number of military fatalities on the battlefield was 55,000.