Russians claimed their air defense hit the Smolensk NPP (video).

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 54 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight on September 18. According to information from the Russian military department, 27 drones were shot down over the Kursk region, 16 - over the Bryansk region, 7 - over the Smolensk region, 3 - over the Belgorod region, and 1 - over the Oryol region.

Also, according to Russian Telegram channels, Russian military forces hit the Smolensk nuclear power plant while shooting down drones. A video circulating online allegedly captured the moment of one of the strikes by the Russian "Pantsir-S1" air defense system on the Smolensk NPP.

Rashists were shooting down drones so intensely that they hit the "Pantsir S-1" system on the Smolensk NPP pic.twitter.com/hfYymFeiY1

— Главком (@GLAVCOM_UA) September 18, 2024

According to the governor of the Smolensk region, Vasily Anokhin, seven aerial drones were attacked in the Dukhovshchinsky and Vyazemsky districts of the Smolensk region at 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. One of the drones fell on the roadway in the city of Yelnya, and several others were destroyed in the city of Roslavl. According to authorities, no one was injured and there was no damage. Rescue and law enforcement services are working at the crash site. Anokhin also added that two more drones were suppressed by electronic warfare means in the Dukhovshchinsky and Vyazemsky districts.

Recall that in Toropets, Tver region of Russia, on the night of September 18, a fire broke out, caused by a drone attack and the work of air defense in the region.