Support The Moscow Times!

Kyiv and Moscow Targeted by Overnight Drone Attacks

A Ukrainian FPV drone operator trains not far from the front line in Donetsk region Anatolii Stepanov / AFP

Both Kyiv and Moscow were targeted overnight by opposing drone attacks, which were largely intercepted by anti-aircraft defenses and did not result in casualties, authorities said on Sunday.

"An attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using a drone against facilities of the Russian Federation was thwarted," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow were particularly frequent in the spring, ahead of the launch of its counteroffensive in June, but they have been rare in recent weeks.

According to the Russian ministry, the drone in question "was destroyed by the air defense equipment...over the territory of the Bogorodsky urban district in the Moscow region."

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said later on Telegram that the foiled attack "did not cause any damage or casualties."

"Emergency services were working on the site" where "the debris" from the device had fallen, he added.

Kyiv was also targeted for a second night by a barrage of Iranian-made Shahed drones packed with explosives that were launched by Russian forces, local authorities said, reporting "an intensification" of attacks on the Ukrainian capital.

"For the second consecutive day, the enemy attacked the capital with drones," said Sergiy Popko, head of the city's military administration, on Telegram.

The Russian drones "were launched in several groups and attacked Kyiv by waves from different directions," he said.

In total, "15 of 20 enemy drones were destroyed," the Ukrainian General Staff said in a separate statement.

However "no casualties or critical destruction were recorded," according to Popko.

A day earlier, the Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 29 of 38 Shahed drones launched by Russian forces across the country — the most drones launched by Moscow in an overnight attack since late September.

On Saturday evening, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expected Russia to step up its attacks on the Ukrainian energy system with the aim of paralyzing the country's heating and electricity supplies through the winter.

"The closer we get to winter, the more Russian attempts will be made to make the strikes more powerful," he said in his daily address, calling on his army to be "100% effective, despite all the difficulties, despite all the fatigue."

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more