Moscow is facing a second day of large-scale drone attacks, causing delays for dozens of flights with airports around the Russian capital forced to temporarily halt operations overnight.
Since midnight local time on Thursday, Russia’s air defenses downed 26 drones flying toward the capital, according to a series of posts on Telegram by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. That’s in addition to dozens of drones repelled over the past 24 hours. No injuries have been reported.
All four airports in the greater Moscow area have suspended operations multiple times over the past day, before resuming just after 6 a.m. local time Thursday, according to a flight safety watchdog.
The developments are the latest sign that a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, which started the latest conflict with its full-scale invasion in 2022, remains elusive. Drone attacks have intensified despite the two sides holding their first direct talks since 2022 last week and US President Donald Trump’s recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia’s capital last faced major flight disruptions on May 7-8 when multiple world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, were arriving in Moscow for commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The latest wave of attacks is unusual in that it continued throughout the day, whereas previous strikes typically occurred overnight. The shift underscores Ukraine’s growing ability to exert pressure on Russia’s air defense systems, potentially inflicting greater economic disruption.
{{/usCountry}}The latest wave of attacks is unusual in that it continued throughout the day, whereas previous strikes typically occurred overnight. The shift underscores Ukraine’s growing ability to exert pressure on Russia’s air defense systems, potentially inflicting greater economic disruption.
{{/usCountry}}Ukrainian drone attacks also continued in several other regions in central Russia, including Kaluga, Smolensk and Ryazan, according to officials. Air defenses in the Tula region, bordering Moscow, faced ten waves of drones, according to a local governor. In total, Russia downed 105 drones overnight, the Defense Ministry said.
In Ukraine, Kyiv activated an air raid alarm on Thursday morning as Russian drones approached the capital. That followed large-scale Russian drone attacks on Ukraine last week.