A massive drone attack targeted Russia’s capital Moscow and surrounding regions last night, with Russian authorities claiming to have shot down 144 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and social media videos showing explosions in Moscow suburbs.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claims the 144 drones, allegedly shot down in total, were destroyed in the following regions of Russia:
- 72 over Bryansk Oblast
- 20 over Moscow Oblast
- 14 over Kursk Oblast
- 13 over Tula Oblast
- 8 over Belgorod Oblast
- 7 over Kaluga Oblast
- 5 over Voronezh Oblast
- 4 over Lipetsk Oblast
- 1 over Oryol Oblast.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that multiple drones were shot down on the approaches to the Russian capital and in its outskirts. At least three drones crashed into high-rise buildings, footage shared by Russian Telegram channels shows.
Sobyanin described one such incident in the Moscow suburb of Ramenskoe neither claiming a drone hit, nor stating it had crashed after the Russian air defenses shot it down. The Moscow mayor wrote:
“When repelling the attack in the city of Ramenskoe, there was a fire at the level of the 11-12th floors of a residential building, emergency services are working.”
Moscow Oblast Governor Andrei Vorobyov claimed that a woman died and three more people were injured due to a fire caused by the attack.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1833386786497667118/
The attack led to significant disruptions in the Russian capital’s air traffic. The press service of Zhukovsky Airport reported to TASS that the airport was closed for arrivals and departures around 6:00. Vnukovo Airport also introduced temporary restrictions on receiving and releasing aircraft from 01:30, according to TASS. Russia’s air transport agency Rosaviatsia later announced that Moscow’s Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky airports were temporarily not accepting or dispatching planes.
Zhukovsky Airport belongs to Russia’s Flight Research Institute. One of the videos, shared by the Russian news Telegram channel Astra shows a fire on its apron, possibly from a drone crash. The airport is located next to Ramenskoe.
Also, Rosaviatsia “imposed restrictions” at Kazan Airport, some 700 km east of Moscow, as per Astra.
Car traffic disruptions were also reported. The head of Moscow’s Domodedovo city district, Evgenia Khrustaleva, stated that movement along the Kashirskoe highway towards Moscow was blocked due to drone debris.
Residents of Kolomna, a town in the Moscow Oblast, reported explosions and gunfire, with smoke rising over the city afterward, according to Astra.
As of the time of reporting, Ukrainian officials had not commented on the attack.
This drone assault is being described as one of the most massive Ukrainian drone attacks to date, although the attribution to Ukraine has not been officially confirmed. The previous massive drone attack on Moscow occurred on 1 September, damaging several power facilities.
Related:
- UK intel: August strike on Russia’s Volgograd Oblast airbase destroyed key infrastructure, satellite imagery shows
- Massive drone attack on Russia: two power stations and oil refinery damaged, 16 regions targeted (video)
- Drones attack ammo depot in Russia’s Voronezh Oblast, causing massive explosions
- Ukrainian drones reportedly attack airfield in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast
- Ukrainian GUR reportedly strikes Russian Savasleyka airfield again, destroying three aircraft
- Oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast latest target in Ukrainian drone campaign
- Media: SBU hits costly Russian long-range radar “Nebo-U” in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast
- Fuel and timber train derails after explosion on railway in Bryansk Oblast, Russia
