The Russian Defense Ministry claimed overnight on Aug. 25 that its forces had shot down an S-200 missile launched by Ukraine over Kaluga Oblast.
Around the same time, Russian Telegram channels reported explosions in Russia's Kaluga and Tula oblasts. Russian state news agency TASS also reported overnight that two of Moscow's airports had been shut down.
The ministry reported on the alleged S-200 strike at around 1:30 a.m. local time. Just prior, Russian Telegram channels published footage of what appears to be air defense firing against an aerial target, supposedly over Obnisk, Kaluga Oblast.
The city of Obnisk lies in the northeastern part of Kaluga Oblast, just around 100 kilometers from Moscow, and around 370 kilometers from Ukraine's border. The Ukrainian outlet Liga noted that the modified S-200 missiles have a range of up to 360 kilometers but it is unlikely that they would have been stationed near the border.
TASS reported that the airspace over Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports was closed at around 1 a.m. local time, without naming the reason. In the past few weeks, the Russian capital has become the target of several drone strikes, often leading to the temporary suspension of air traffic.
The Russian Telegram channel Shot also published a video of active air defense, allegedly capturing the downing of the S-200 missile not far from the Shaykovka military airbase in Kaluga Oblast, roughly 200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The airport recently came under a drone strike that led to damage to several Tu-22M3 bombers, Ukrainian military intelligence reported.
However, it is not clear from the footage published by the channel whether the projectile in question is indeed the S-200 missile.
Russian Telegram channels also claimed that explosions were recorded in Tula Oblast at around 1 a.m. local time.
Several hours later, Russia's Defense Ministry said that 42 drones were detected over the territory of Crimea, nine of which were allegedly shot down and 33 eliminated through electronic warfare means.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
There have been multiple reports of strikes against targets on Russian territory. Officials in Moscow have claimed several drone attacks against the city in the past few weeks.
Russia's military airbases in Novgorod and Kaluga oblasts were also targeted in drone strikes that led to the destruction or damage of several strategic bombers, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.
Olena Goncharova
(Updated: )
