Ukraine targets Moscow in the largest drone assault on the Russian capital to date

Ukraine executed its largest drone assault on the Russian capital on Tuesday, deploying at least 91 drones aimed at Moscow. This attack resulted in at least one fatality, ignited fires, led to airport closures, and caused numerous flight diversions, according to Russian officials.

In total, 337 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across Russia, with 91 downed in the Moscow area and 126 in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been retreating, as reported by the defense ministry.

The extensive drone strike occurred just as a delegation of Ukrainian officials was preparing to meet with a U.S. team in Saudi Arabia to explore potential avenues for peace negotiations in the ongoing three-year conflict. Meanwhile, Russian forces are attempting to encircle thousands of Ukrainian troops in the western Kursk region.

As rush hour approached, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that air defenses were actively countering attacks on the city, which, along with its surrounding areas, is home to over 21 million residents, making it one of Europe’s largest metropolitan regions.

“The most significant attack of enemy UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) on Moscow has been successfully repelled,” Sobyanin stated in a Telegram post.

Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov confirmed that at least one individual was killed and three others injured, sharing an image of a damaged apartment building with shattered windows. He noted that some residents were compelled to evacuate a high-rise in the Ramenskoye district, located approximately 50 km (31 miles) southeast of the Kremlin.

Despite the attack, there was no visible panic in Moscow, as commuters continued their daily routines in the city center. Russia’s aviation authority announced the suspension of flights at all four of Moscow’s airports to maintain air safety following the assaults. Additionally, two other airports in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions, both situated east of Moscow, were also closed.

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed a desire to achieve peace in Ukraine; however, the conflict is intensifying on the battlefield, marked by a significant Russian spring offensive in Kursk and a series of Ukrainian drone strikes deep within Russian territory.

Russia has implemented a range of electronic defense systems over Moscow and critical installations, complemented by advanced internal layers protecting strategic sites, creating a sophisticated air defense network designed to intercept drones before they can reach the Kremlin.

In response to ongoing mass drone assaults from Russian forces, Kyiv has launched counterattacks targeting oil refineries, airfields, and even Russian strategic early-warning radar stations.

DRONE WAR

This conflict, the largest in Europe since World War II, merges the attrition warfare reminiscent of World War I with the modern innovation of drone technology.

Both Moscow and Kyiv are actively pursuing the acquisition and development of new drones, employing them in creative tactics, and exploring various methods to neutralize them—ranging from farmers’ shotguns to sophisticated electronic jamming systems.

Both sides have transformed inexpensive commercial drones into lethal instruments while increasing their own production capabilities. Soldiers on the front lines have reported a profound fear of drones, and both factions have utilized graphic video footage of fatal drone strikes in their propaganda, depicting soldiers being killed in various harrowing scenarios.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has attempted to shield Moscow from the war’s impacts, labeling Ukrainian drone strikes on civilian infrastructure, including nuclear power plants, as “terrorism” and pledging a retaliatory response. Meanwhile, Moscow, as Russia’s wealthiest city, has thrived during the conflict, supported by the largest defense spending increase since the Cold War.