Moscow Under Attack As Ukraine Launches Biggest Ever Drone Strike In Russia

Kyiv: Ukraine on Sunday launched an unprecedented attack aiming at Russian capital Moscow after it fired over 30 drones. This comes as one of the biggest drone strike since the start of Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. According to reports, several flights from three major airports in Moscow were diverted.

Reports have said that the Russian defence forces shot down most of the drones launched by Ukraine, however, some footages which have appeared on social media showed fire in residential areas in and around Moscow.

At least one person has been injured after latest escalation by Ukraine against Russia. Air Defence Forces said that they have destroyed 30 drones over the Moscow region. 

Speaking to Republic, a Russian journalist Tatiana Kukhareva said, “We have been facing this for months but haven’t really seen any sign of a will to kind of scale down hostilities from the Ukrainian side, they keep talking about it but this is what continues… we will have to see how Russia retaliates to this escalation.”

Many houses and vehicles were also damaged in Moscow as Russian defence forces were shooting down Ukrainian drones.

Russia-Ukraine drone war

Russia and Ukraine engaged in a significant escalation of drone strikes, with Moscow launching 145 drones on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces also launched a drone strike on Russian territory, with 34 drones headed towards Moscow, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The Defence Ministry further said that Russia's air defences shot down all of the drones over the Moscow region between 7 am and 10 am on Sunday morning.

The governor of Moscow region said that the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were shot down over the Moscow regions of Ramenskoye, Kolomna and Domodedovo, Andrey Vorobyov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said that on Saturday night, Russia launched a record-breaking 145 Shahed drones and other strike drones against Ukraine, marking a significant escalation in hostilities.

Sharing a post on X, Zelenskyy said, “This week, our air defence forces have been working day and night to protect Ukraine's skies from Russian terror. Last night, Russia launched a record 145 Shaheds and other strike drones against Ukraine. Throughout the week, Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs, around 600 strike drones, and nearly 20 missiles of various types.”

"Such terror cannot be stopped with words, and the killing of children and the loss of loved ones cannot simply be forgotten. Security from terror is impossible without bold decisions--this is clear for every country. Without justice, there is no lasting peace, and it is quite realistic for Ukraine to achieve it," Zelenskyy added.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which escalated in February 2022 with Russia's full-scale invasion, has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths. Moscow continues to deny intentionally targeting civilians, despite widespread international condemnation and evidence of airstrikes on residential areas.

Attacks have become a near-daily occurrence, especially in Ukraine's eastern and southern regions. Russia has frequently employed a range of weaponry, including guided aerial bombs, missiles, and UAVs, to target Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure. 

In response, Ukraine has ramped up its defence efforts with help from Western allies. Yet, the volume and intensity of Russia's assaults have made it clear that more sophisticated and long-range defence capabilities are necessary.

With inputs from ANI