Russian air defenses successfully repelled a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow on Sunday, intercepting 13 unmanned aerial vehicles targeting the capital, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The assault marked another rare incursion deep into Russian territory, prompting brief disruptions to air traffic at a major airport and emergency responses to debris fallout across the region.
Sobyanin announced in mid-afternoon local time that a drone approaching Moscow had been shot down by air defenses. Within an hour, he updated that a total of 13 UAVs aimed at the capital area had been destroyed. Emergency crews were dispatched to sites where debris from the intercepted drones fell, as detailed by the mayor in his post-incident statements.
Regional officials reported a broader wave of UAV attacks sweeping across western Russia, involving hundreds of drones in total. The coordinated assault underscored ongoing tensions, with Moscow experiencing such deep strikes infrequently despite prior incidents.
Domodedovo airport, a key aviation hub in the Moscow region, briefly halted arrivals and departures amid the threat, state-aligned outlet RIA Novosti reported. Operations resumed shortly after, but the incident added to a pattern of disruptions over the past year.
Major aviation hubs around Moscow have faced increasing delays and stoppages due to similar threats, resulting in frequent flight delays and cancellations. This has led to growing frustration among Russian travelers navigating the unreliable airspace.
In the border region of Bryansk Oblast, Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz described sustained drone assaults since early morning. He reported that air defenses had downed 120 UAVs over the territory, highlighting the intensity of attacks in areas closer to the front lines.
