Russia Says It Just Downed 45 Drones In Ukraine’s Largest Ever Drone Attack On Moscow

On Wednesday, Kyiv launched its biggest-ever drone strike on Moscow, marking a dramatic uptick in the conflict. According to Russian officials, their air defense systems successfully intercepted all 45 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), averting any serious harm to civilian facilities.

According to the Russian defense ministry, the drones were shot down across multiple regions: 11 over the Russian region, 23 in the Bryansk border territory, six over Belgorod, three over Kaluga, and two over Kursk. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also confirmed the interception of drones near Podolsk, close to the Kremlin. While Moscow airports suspended activity for four hours due to the attack, normal operations resumed by morning. Thankfully, no civilian casualties or major damage were reported.

This attack follows Ukraine’s decision to create a buffer zone in Russia’s western Kursk region, aiming to push back Russian forces from the border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has intensified military efforts, leveraging UAVs as a crucial strategy. While Ukraine has previously launched drone attacks on Moscow, those incidents were relatively minor and did not cause significant damage.

Wednesday’s strike marks the largest attack on Moscow since the war began in 2022, as claimed by Russian officials. The drones targeted key infrastructure, including energy grids, military installations, and arms production facilities.

An official comment regarding the incident has not yet been released by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Nonetheless, since the establishment of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) in June 2024 under the command of Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, Ukraine’s increasing reliance on drones has become apparent. Drone warfare by Ukraine has been important in stopping Russian tank advances on the battlefield.

As the war approaches its third year, Kyiv keeps using more aggressive strategies, such as the most recent attack in the Kursk region, in an effort to undermine Russia’s position and change the course of the war.