Moscow experienced a significant drone attack by Ukrainian forces, marking one of the largest assaults since the 2022 conflict began, according to Russian officials. Authorities reported that all drones targeting the capital were successfully intercepted and destroyed. The drone strikes coincide with Ukrainian troops advancing into Russia’s western Kursk region, where they have targeted bridges, airfields, and an oil depot in recent days.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as one of the most substantial attempts to target the capital using drones. Russian defenses managed to neutralize 45 Ukrainian drones overnight, with 11 of them intercepted over the Moscow region. Videos circulating on Russian social media depicted drones being taken down by air defense systems, triggering car alarms in the process.
The incursion of Ukrainian forces into Russia has extended the conflict beyond traditional front lines, with attacks reaching major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as key infrastructure sites in Western Russia. Ukraine has escalated aerial assaults on Russian territory this year, including targeting refineries and oil terminals to hamper Kremlin operations.
In response to Ukrainian offensives, Russia has reported casualties, including 31 deaths and 143 injuries since the conflict began on Aug. 6. Moreover, an oil depot fire in the Rostov region, adjacent to Ukraine, has been burning for four days, with local firefighters battling the blaze. The Ukrainian drone attack in the Kursk region resulted in casualties and prompted the postponement of local elections due to safety concerns.
The Kremlin has condemned Ukraine’s actions in Kursk, with the Russian Foreign Ministry asserting that peace negotiations are no longer viable in light of the attacks. Meanwhile, Ukraine has emphasized adherence to international humanitarian laws amid the conflict, establishing humanitarian aid offices in affected areas to assist local residents, especially the elderly.
Ukrainian military actions, including targeting key bridges over the Seym River in Kursk, aim to impede Russian movements and slow down responses to incursions. Sustained fighting along the river has been observed, with satellite imagery showing fires indicative of front-line combat. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have repelled Ukrainian assault groups in Kursk, although casualty figures are unverified.
In a separate development, a Russian prosecutor’s office seeks lengthy prison sentences for 23 Ukrainian prisoners of war, accusing them of terrorism and attempting to seize power violently. The conflict analysis indicates that drones and missiles have been launched from Russia’s Kursk region, supporting Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s objective to create a buffer zone for enhanced protection against Russian aggression.
