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Moscow [Russia], January 18: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that air defense units intercepted a Ukrainian drone in the sky over Moscow province early this morning, January 18.
The Russian Ministry of Defense also announced that a second UAV was intercepted and destroyed in the sky over Leningrad province, around Russia's second largest city, St Petersburg, according to Reuters.
The Russian Ministry of Defense wrote on the Telegram messaging application that the above two attacks occurred at around 1:30 a.m. January 18 (Moscow time). Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also wrote on Telegram earlier that air defense units shot down a UAV while it was flying towards the capital Moscow. Debris fell to the ground but there was no damage or casualties, according to Mr. Sobyanin.
There is currently no information about Ukraine's reaction to the above statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Previously, in a video speech on the evening of January 17, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Ukraine and its people to take the initiative to help shape the direction of the conflict, which has now lasted 22 months. and secured worldwide support , according to Reuters.
"Ukraine needs an ambitious and proactive stance so that the initiative is in our hands, not in the enemy's hands, so that the end of the war depends on Ukraine's actions," President Zelensky emphasized.
Mr. Zelensky returned home after discussions with political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland), where he called on the West to tighten sanctions pressure on Moscow. and increased support for Kyiv.
Meanwhile, on January 17, the German Parliament announced that the country's lawmakers had rejected the proposal of the two parties, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), to transfer Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine, according to The Kyiv Independent .
The Taurus missile has become a subject of widespread discussion since Ukraine in May 2023 requested the supply of this weapon with a range of up to 500 km.
Previously, Bild newspaper reported in October that German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz opposed sending Taurus missiles to Kyiv because he feared the move would draw Germany into the Russia-Ukraine conflict .
Ukraine has received other long-range missiles, such as Storm Shadow from Britain and the French-made SCALP, according to The Kyiv Independent .
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper