Ukraine launched a major drone offensive against Moscow on Wednesday, marking one of the most significant attacks on the Russian capital since the onset of the conflict in February 2022. Russian authorities reported that at least 11 drones were intercepted and destroyed by air defences, making this one of the largest drone strikes Moscow has faced.
The attack escalates the ongoing conflict, which has largely been characterized by a protracted artillery and drone battle across eastern Ukraine.This latest offensive follows a surge in military actions on August 6, when Ukrainian forces advanced into Russia’s western Kursk region, marking the most substantial foreign incursion into Russian territory since World War Two.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that a total of 45 drones were destroyed over various regions of Russia, including 11 in the Moscow area, 23 in Bryansk, six in Belgorod, three in Kaluga, and two in Kursk. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that some drones were taken down over Podolsk, approximately 38 kilometers south of the Kremlin.
“This is one of the largest attempts to attack Moscow using drones ever,” Sobyanin stated on Telegram. He praised Moscow’s layered defence system for successfully repelling the attacks, noting no reported injuries or damage from the strikes.
The drone assault disrupted operations at Moscow’s major airports—Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky—for approximately four hours before normal service resumed at 0330 GMT, according to Russia’s aviation watchdog.
In addition to the Moscow attacks, reports indicate that two drones were downed over the Tula region, which borders Moscow to the north. Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region, also reported the interception of a Ukrainian missile, though there were no injuries reported. The Defence Ministry did not confirm these incidents, and Ukraine’s military claimed responsibility for striking an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system in Rostov.
The scale of Wednesday’s attack rivals the drone strike in May 2023, when President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of attempting to intimidate and provoke Russia. As Russia continues to advance in eastern Ukraine, controlling around 18% of the territory, and engages in fierce battles in Kursk, the drone assault underscores the escalating intensity of the conflict.
The situation in Kursk remains volatile, with ongoing intense fighting reported by Russian war bloggers as Ukraine has reclaimed significant territory in the region.
The attack escalates the ongoing conflict, which has largely been characterized by a protracted artillery and drone battle across eastern Ukraine.This latest offensive follows a surge in military actions on August 6, when Ukrainian forces advanced into Russia’s western Kursk region, marking the most substantial foreign incursion into Russian territory since World War Two.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that a total of 45 drones were destroyed over various regions of Russia, including 11 in the Moscow area, 23 in Bryansk, six in Belgorod, three in Kaluga, and two in Kursk. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that some drones were taken down over Podolsk, approximately 38 kilometers south of the Kremlin.
“This is one of the largest attempts to attack Moscow using drones ever,” Sobyanin stated on Telegram. He praised Moscow’s layered defence system for successfully repelling the attacks, noting no reported injuries or damage from the strikes.
The drone assault disrupted operations at Moscow’s major airports—Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky—for approximately four hours before normal service resumed at 0330 GMT, according to Russia’s aviation watchdog.
In addition to the Moscow attacks, reports indicate that two drones were downed over the Tula region, which borders Moscow to the north. Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region, also reported the interception of a Ukrainian missile, though there were no injuries reported. The Defence Ministry did not confirm these incidents, and Ukraine’s military claimed responsibility for striking an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system in Rostov.
The scale of Wednesday’s attack rivals the drone strike in May 2023, when President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of attempting to intimidate and provoke Russia. As Russia continues to advance in eastern Ukraine, controlling around 18% of the territory, and engages in fierce battles in Kursk, the drone assault underscores the escalating intensity of the conflict.
The situation in Kursk remains volatile, with ongoing intense fighting reported by Russian war bloggers as Ukraine has reclaimed significant territory in the region.
