Kathmandu: Air traffic around Moscow was significantly disrupted on Thursday morning following a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack targeting the Russian capital. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 35 drones heading toward Moscow were intercepted overnight, while a total of 105 Ukrainian drones were destroyed or intercepted across the country.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed via Telegram that emergency services were operating at the crash sites. The attack follows a similar drone offensive the day before, involving 27 drones, and comes after Russia deployed a record number of drones against Ukraine over the past weekend.

Although both Russia and Ukraine have used drones daily since the war began more than three years ago, drone strikes on Moscow remain rare.

Flights Disrupted
Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, confirmed that flights were delayed or grounded at major Moscow airports, including Sheremetyevo, as a precautionary measure.

Escalating Conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to reject calls for an unconditional ceasefire from Ukraine and Western allies. Russia maintains control over approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

The ongoing war has caused tens of thousands of deaths, displaced millions, and destroyed infrastructure across eastern and southern Ukraine.