Overnight, more than 140 Ukrainian drones carried out a coordinated attack on several Russian regions, including Moscow and its outskirts, resulting in the death of one person, officials reported on Tuesday. This marks one of the most significant drone assaults on Russian territory during the 2 1/2-year conflict between the two nations.
Among the areas targeted was the town of Ramenskoye, near Moscow, where drones struck two residential buildings, causing fires that led to the death of a woman and injuries to three others. Following the attack, five residential buildings were cleared due to the risk of falling drone wreckage, as stated by Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov.
The incident also led to the temporary closure of three airports near Moscow – Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky. Approximately 48 flights were redirected to alternative airports, according to Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia.
This recent drone assault comes after another major attack earlier in the month, where the Russian military intercepted 158 Ukrainian drones over numerous Russian regions. The Investigative Committee of Russia has launched a criminal investigation into the event, categorizing it as a terrorist act.
On the flip side, Russia has been conducting strikes on Ukraine using missiles, glide bombs, and their own drones, resulting in the deaths of over 10,000 civilians, according to the United Nations.
Ukraine has significantly invested in developing its drone production capabilities, enhancing their range, payload capacity, and utility. The deployment of drone attacks has become a strategic move by Ukraine to impede Russia’s military operations, disrupt society, and challenge the Kremlin.
Notably, Ukrainian officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the delayed and insufficient delivery of weaponry pledged by Western allies. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged defense contractors to ramp up production to meet the military’s requirements.
At the forefront of the conflict, Ukrainian forces are facing off against Russia’s more substantial and well-equipped military along a 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line. The battle is particularly fierce in parts of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, where towns and villages lie in ruins from relentless bombardment. Last month, Ukraine even launched a daring incursion into Russia’s Kursk border area.
In Moscow, debris from the drones fell on a private residence in the city’s outskirts, though fortunately, no injuries were reported, confirmed Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Air defenses successfully brought down more than a dozen drones as they approached the city.
The Russian Defense Ministry disclosed that a total of 144 Ukrainian drones were “intercepted and destroyed” over nine Russian regions, encompassing areas near the Ukrainian border and deep within Russian territory.
