At least two people were killed and three others injured in a large-scale drone attack on the Moscow region, marking what appears to be the most significant strike by Ukraine on the Russian capital since the war began. The attack, which took place early on Monday, left a trail of destruction in the towns of Vidnoye and Domodedovo, just outside Moscow, with additional injuries reported across the region.
According to Russian health officials, a total of 18 people were injured, including three children. The fatalities and injuries resulted from a series of drone strikes targeting both residential and industrial areas, leaving local authorities and residents in shock.
Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyev confirmed that two of the victims died at the start of their shift at a food distribution company. The casualties were a 50-year-old man, who died in hospital, and another individual who died at the scene when debris hit the company’s distribution center.
The attack also caused damage to more than 40 vehicles, including private cars, which were left burnt out in what appeared to be a car park, as shown in images published by Governor Vorobyev. Local media reported that at least seven apartments in a residential building were damaged by the drone strike, with the roof of one building suffering significant damage. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that, while the damage was not extensive, the attack still forced the evacuation of 12 people, including three children, from their damaged homes.
In addition to the human casualties and property damage, the strike caused major disruptions to the transport system in the region. One district’s train network was suspended, and flight restrictions were enforced at all four of Moscow’s main airports – Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky. These airports serve millions of passengers every year, adding to the scale of the disruption caused by the attack.
Flights at Sheremetyevo Airport resumed later in the day after the aviation authorities cleared the area. However, the brief suspension of flights highlighted the severity of the situation, which had momentarily crippled air travel in and out of the Russian capital.
According to Russian reports, a total of 337 Ukrainian drones were launched in the attack, though 91 of them were intercepted and destroyed over the Moscow region. The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that these drones were part of a coordinated assault targeting not only the capital but also nine other regions, including Kursk, and that Ukraine had been attempting to carry out a widespread series of strikes across Russian territory.
Governor Vorobyev revealed that two people remain in serious condition following the attack. A 43-year-old woman suffered severe injuries to her torso, including intestinal damage, while a 44-year-old man was wounded in the torso, shoulder, and shin. Their condition remains critical, and they are being treated at hospitals in Domodedovo, a town located to the south of Moscow.
The Russian authorities have yet to confirm whether all of the drones were destroyed, as reports from the Ministry of Defence suggest some may have managed to reach their intended targets despite the interception efforts. This points to a growing level of sophistication in the types of drone strikes Ukraine is launching, which has been a feature of the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
The timing of the drone attack is notable, as it occurred just hours before an important meeting in Saudi Arabia between Ukrainian representatives and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting, which aimed to address the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, took place in Jeddah and was the first official meeting since a tense exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump.
During the meeting, Secretary Rubio suggested that, as part of an agreement to bring an end to the war, Ukraine might be required to give up some of its territories to Russia. Rubio also indicated that both sides need to acknowledge that there is no purely military solution to the conflict. These discussions, aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to the war, come amid a backdrop of escalating attacks and growing international concerns about the long-term impact of the war on the global economy.
The US-Ukraine talks are expected to be a crucial step in managing the war’s fallout and could signal a shift toward diplomatic negotiations, though the prospects of a lasting peace deal remain uncertain.
The drone attacks launched by Ukraine on Moscow come after a series of retaliatory strikes by Russia, which targeted the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and other regions in Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian officials reported that Russia had launched 126 drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile in its attacks, although Ukrainian air defense forces managed to shoot down 79 of the drones.
Additionally, Ukraine’s military said that 35 other drones were likely disrupted by electronic warfare countermeasures, suggesting that the strikes were not as effective as intended. However, it is unclear whether the remaining drones reached their targets, as no specific information has been provided regarding casualties in Ukraine as a result of these attacks.
While Russia has been actively retaliating with drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian forces have continued to target Russian military positions and infrastructure, signaling that both sides are fully engaged in what has become a prolonged and destructive war.
As of now, Ukraine has not publicly commented on the latest drone strike in Moscow, though the Ukrainian government has previously maintained that it would continue to defend itself against Russian aggression. The decision not to publicly take responsibility for the attack is consistent with Ukraine’s broader strategy of using asymmetric warfare tactics, including drone strikes, to target Russian infrastructure and military assets without taking direct credit for the actions.
The ongoing drone warfare is a key feature of the conflict, as both sides utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to conduct strikes on each other’s territories. These drones have proven to be an effective tool for carrying out precision strikes, though they have also escalated tensions and contributed to the already volatile situation.
