On Tuesday, Ukraine launched its most extensive drone attack on Moscow to date, resulting in the deaths of at least two workers at a meat warehouse, injuring 18 others, and briefly shutting down the Russian capital’s four airports, according to Russian officials.
A total of 337 drones were downed over Russian territory, including 91 in Moscow and 126 in the Kursk region, an area where Ukrainian forces have been withdrawing. The attack occurred ahead of a high-level meeting between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, focused on seeking an end to the ongoing three-year war, while Russian forces attempted to encircle Ukrainian troops in Kursk.
In response, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that this was the largest Ukrainian drone assault on the city, which, along with its surrounding region, has a population of more than 21 million. Despite the scale of the attack, there were no air raid alerts or sirens issued in Moscow during the assault.
The Russian Ministry of Defence listed additional areas targeted by Ukrainian drones, including Belgorod, Bryansk, and Voronezh, as well as regions deeper within Russia such as Kaluga, Lipetsk, and Nizhny Novgorod.
Miratorg, one of Russia’s largest meat producers, reported two employee fatalities due to debris from the attack. Additionally, 18 people were injured, including three children, with several residential buildings also struck.
Flights at all four of Moscow’s airports were briefly suspended following the drone strike, with operations resuming later in the day and flights redirected to alternative airports.
The attack coincided with the start of US-Ukrainian talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, alongside Ukrainian aide Andriy Yermak. The talks are seen as a critical step in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict, though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not attend.
The ongoing war has seen intensified use of drones, with both sides increasingly relying on them as weapons. Russia has developed robust air defense systems to protect strategic areas, including Moscow, from such attacks, although these defenses have been increasingly tested. Despite this, Moscow has not wavered in its response, with officials calling for retaliation against Ukraine and labeling attacks on civilian infrastructure as terrorism.
The situation remains volatile, with both sides continuing to adapt to the evolving nature of the conflict, especially as the use of drones becomes an even more prominent feature of the war’s tactics.
