Russia downs three Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow, mayor says

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian air defences downed three Ukrainian drones bound for Moscow on Thursday, said the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin.

The Russian Defence Ministry also said 14 drones had been shot down over the Bryansk region and a further 8 over the Belgorod region between 15:00 (1200 GMT) and 16:30. Both regions border Ukraine.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.

Separately, Russia’s aviation authority Rosaviatsia said it had temporarily halted all flights in and out of the airport in Kaluga, a city some 200 km (125 miles) southwest of Moscow.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou)