Ukraine strikes Moscow with massive drone attack, Russia reports. REUTERS
Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Moscow early Wednesday, causing fires and damaging buildings. Officials say this may be the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital so far. The attack forced two major airports to shut down temporarily.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that air defenses shot down at least 60 drones before they could reach the city. “The roof of a building in Moscow was slightly damaged by falling debris from a downed drone,” he shared on social media. He added that there were no reports of injuries.
Moscow and its surrounding areas are home to over 21 million people, making it one of Europe’s largest metropolitan regions. Several news channels, including those close to Russia’s security services, reported fires in multiple residential areas. Videos showed an apartment in the Ramenskoye district, about 50 kilometers southeast of the Kremlin, engulfed in flames.
The attack comes as the United States pushes for an end to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022. U.S. and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia for peace talks.
Russia’s aviation authorities suspended flights at Zhukovsky and Domodedovo airports after the drone strikes. Two other airports in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions, east of Moscow, were also temporarily closed. Officials said this was a safety measure to prevent accidents due to ongoing threats.
In the Ryazan region, located southeast of Moscow, the governor confirmed that air defenses successfully repelled another drone attack. No injuries or damage were reported in that area.
This is not the first time drones have targeted Moscow. In November, a major drone attack saw at least 34 drones destroyed, killing one civilian and damaging several homes. Ukraine has repeatedly stated that its attacks inside Russia aim to weaken its military infrastructure in response to Russia’s ongoing airstrikes on Ukrainian cities.
Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians. However, thousands of innocent people have lost their lives in the war, with most of the casualties reported in Ukraine.
