Russia came under attack by an unprecedented number of drones overnight on 11 March, with Russian Defense Ministry claiming to have intercepted 337 drones across ten regions – the largest reported number since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 91 drones were allegedly intercepted over Moscow Oblast, 126 over Kursk Oblast, 38 over Bryansk Oblast, 25 over Belgorod Oblast, 22 over Ryazan Oblast, 10 over Kaluga Oblast, eight each over Lipetsk and Orel oblasts, six over Voronezh Oblast, and three over Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and Moscow Oblast Governor Andrei Vorobyov confirmed the attack on the Russian capital and surrounding areas. Witnesses observed drones flying in the night sky and reported on social media dozens of explosions followed by numerous fires. The attack reportedly began after 3 a.m. local time.
Flight operations were temporarily suspended at Moscow’s Vnukovo, Zhukovsky, and Domodedovo airports during the attack, as well as in airports of Nizhny Novgorod and Yaroslavl.
The operation of Russian air defense systems and electronic warfare equipment, which reportedly shot down and suppressed drones over residential areas, resulted in damage to residential buildings and reportedly civilian casualties, Militarnyi says.
Moscow Oblast authorities claimed two deaths and 14 injuries. According to the official, drone debris fell on an apartment building in Moscow’s Ramenskoye. Another drone exploded near a residential building in Vidnoye, damaging several apartments. Drone debris reportedly crashed in other areas of Moscow Oblast.
The Astra Telegram channel reported damage to railway tracks near Domodedovo station and a fire in a local business parking lot. The head of Domodedovo earlier reported that trains were not running through the station in either direction. Train service at the station was restored by 8 a.m.
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