In the early hours of August 18, 2026, the Russian Federation witnessed one of the largest and most intense air offensives since the beginning of the conflict. Residents and media in Moscow are massively complaining about an unprecedented attack by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which led to serious panic and paralysis of the airspace over the metropolis.
Mayor Sobyanin: Drones downed are now over 60
In an official statement on the MAKS social network, the mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sobyanin, initially announced the destruction of another wave of 10 drones flying directly towards the city. A little later, however, it became clear that the total number of drones that attacked Moscow within the current 24 hours had already exceeded 60. The vast majority of them were intercepted by the air defense systems (AVO) of the Ministry of Defense on the approaches to the capital. Emergency services are working at dozens of locations in the Moscow region where debris has fallen, and airports in the region have imposed temporary flight restrictions.
Information about the scale of the strikes first appeared in publications by the Ukrainian publication Pravda.com.ua, as well as in reports by the Russian agency Rosbalt.
The attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation ruined the prestigious festival “Spasskaya Tower“
A direct consequence of the difficult security situation and the constant threat of attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was the urgent cancellation of the international military music festival “Spasskaya Tower“, held traditionally on Red Square. The event, considered one of President Vladimir Putin's favorites and a key showcase of military might in the heart of Moscow, was officially postponed to 2027 just four days before its scheduled start on August 21.
Organizers issued a terse statement saying the change was necessary "due to reasons beyond their control." Experts, however, are adamant that the Kremlin cannot guarantee the safety of mass events in the city center. This is the second major blow to the prestige of the authorities in Moscow this year, after in June, for the first time in over 20 years, the traditional festive concert on Red Square for Russia Day was canceled.
Details about the emergency closure of Red Square and the cancellation of the festival were disseminated by the independent media Meduza.io and the Russian daily Trader.