Ukraine launches largest drone strike on Moscow; Russia intercepts over 70 drones amid rising tensions

Russian air defences also intercepted an additional 36 drones over western Russia within a span of three hours, according to the Russian defense ministry.

The ministry stated, “An attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using airplane-type drones on the territory of the Russian Federation was thwarted.”

Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky airports diverted at least 36 flights but soon resumed normal operations.

Moscow, with its metro area home to over 21 million people, stands among Europe’s largest cities, comparable in size to Istanbul.

Meanwhile, Russia reportedly launched a record 145 drones overnight, as per Ukraine, which claimed to have downed 62 of these drones.

Ukraine also reported a successful strike on an arsenal in Russia’s Bryansk region, which itself reported intercepting 14 drones.

Footage on Russian Telegram channels, though unverified, appeared to show drones moving across Moscow’s skyline.

This escalation occurs as the 2.5-year-long war in Ukraine approaches what some officials suggest could be a decisive phase, following recent Russian advances.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was recently elected to serve a second term starting in January, has said he could bring peace to Ukraine within 24 hours, though specifics of his approach remain unclear.

Following Trump’s election victory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated him in a call reportedly joined by Elon Musk, a Trump supporter and CEO of SpaceX, which operates the Starlink satellite network crucial for Ukraine’s communications in the conflict.

In response to ongoing Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, airfields, and radar stations, Moscow has fortified its aerial defenses, employing electronic “umbrellas” over the capital with advanced internal layers around key government buildings.

The Russian capital's defense network includes an intricate array of anti-drone systems aimed at intercepting drones before they reach the Kremlin.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have rapidly adapted to the use of drones in warfare, turning commercial drones into tactical weapons and developing counter-drone measures, including electronic jamming.

The conflict has evolved into a grinding war of trenches and artillery along a 1,000-km (620-mile) front, with drone warfare emerging as a defining innovation.

Soldiers on both sides have experienced the constant threat of drone attacks, which both Moscow and Kyiv leverage in propaganda by sharing footage of deadly strikes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned Ukraine’s targeting of Russian civilian infrastructure, such as nuclear facilities, as “terrorism,” and has promised retaliatory measures.

Despite the conflict, Moscow has remained largely insulated from the direct impacts of the war, with its economy thriving on massive defense expenditures reminiscent of the Cold War.

Life in Moscow appeared undisturbed by the day’s events, with residents walking their dogs under the sound of church bells echoing across the city’s streets.