Ukraine Launches Major Drone Strike on Moscow, Marking War’s Second Largest Assault

Ukraine launched a significant drone attack on Moscow last night, marking one of the most extensive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strikes during the ongoing conflict. Reports from Russian officials indicate that hundreds of drones were deployed against the capital.

Tragically, two individuals—a 71-year-old man and a 20-year-old—lost their lives on the city’s outskirts, while nine others sustained injuries. Furthermore, extensive property damage was reported, with numerous homes completely destroyed, according to local authorities.

Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, stated that approximately 650 drones were aimed at the city, although he noted that the majority were intercepted by air defense systems. Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of Moscow, added that 185 drones were either “destroyed or neutralised” across various municipalities.

The mayor’s office reported that several residential areas were affected, with 47 homes damaged across seven municipalities and four apartments impacted in Lobanovo, a nearby village. The attack also caused power outages in multiple settlements, prompting efforts to restore electricity.

Additionally, Yuri Podolyaka, a war blogger, claimed that a Ukrainian drone struck a critical fuel storage facility in Volodarskaya, which is responsible for supplying three main airports in the capital. Eyewitness accounts and video footage on social media depict a large fire at the depot, although official confirmation of the bombing has yet to be released.

According to the Russian state news outlet TASS, this incident represents the second-largest drone attack on Moscow and its surrounding regions in the past two years, occurring hundreds of kilometers from Ukraine’s border.

The drone strikes severely disrupted operations at Moscow’s four major airports, leading to multiple air traffic restrictions throughout the night and into the following day, as reported by Rosaviatsia, the civil aviation authority of Russia.

Both Ukraine and Russia have intensified their long-range strikes targeting civilian and industrial assets, including crucial infrastructure like energy facilities, transport systems, and maritime operations in the Black Sea. As colder weather approaches, Moscow has indicated plans to ramp up its attacks on critical infrastructure, notably within Kyiv. In response, Ukraine is increasingly focusing on attacking oil refineries and storage facilities to undermine Russia’s war-funding capabilities.