The Russian Defence Ministry announced on Thursday that 1,214 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles targeted 20 different regions across the country overnight. This figure marks the largest drone attack reported by Russia to date, exceeding the previous record of 1,110 drones launched from Ukraine on September 20.
According to the ministry, air defence duty forces were responsible for intercepting and destroying the incoming drones. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin provided further details, stating that 613 of these drones were directed at the capital region. He noted that while most were neutralized by Defence Ministry air defences on distant approaches, 231 drones were specifically destroyed as they neared Moscow.
The surge in drone activity prompted Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, to impose temporary restrictions on arrivals and departures at Moscow’s Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky airports to ensure flight safety. These measures were later lifted. A source in air traffic control services informed the TASS news agency that two planes flying from Istanbul to Moscow were forced to turn back in mid-air and return to Istanbul due to the restrictions at Vnukovo. Additionally, similar flight restrictions were implemented at airports in 18 other Russian cities.
Ukraine has not yet released a statement regarding these claims. The reports remain unverified by independent sources due to the ongoing conflict.
