On Monday night, the Russian capital became the target of a new massive wave of attacks by Ukrainian drones, "Ukrainskaya Pravda" reported.
The attack led to the paralysis of the airspace over the metropolis and the emergency closure of major international airports. This is another large-scale air strike against Moscow within the last week, marking a serious escalation in Kiev's tactics to carry the conflict deep into the Russian rear.
“Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported on his official Telegram channel that air defense forces (AVO) conducted intense fire during the midnight attack. According to initial data from local authorities, 45 drones were intercepted and destroyed in the skies over the capital and the Moscow region.
A state of emergency of "drone danger" was introduced in the Istra urban district, and emergency services teams were sent to the places where the debris fell. For the time being, the authorities claim that there are no serious damages or injuries on the ground, but field inspections are continuing.
The attack caused an immediate collapse in the civil aviation of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Air Transport Agency („Rosaviatsia“) imposed strict restrictions. Moscow's largest airport "Sheremetyevo" completely suspended operations. A special security protocol was activated, with passengers from just-landed planes being urgently evacuated to shelters in the terminals.
Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports also suspended the arrival and departure of aircraft, diverting dozens of flights to backup airports in Nizhny Novgorod and Samara.
Takeoffs and landings at Vnukovo airport were placed under special military coordination.
The June 22 night attack is part of Ukraine's escalating campaign of air pressure. Just four days ago, on June 18, Moscow suffered its biggest strike since the start of the war, with nearly 200 drones causing a massive fire at the Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya.
The repeated attack tonight shows that Kiev is deliberately targeting Russian energy and transportation infrastructure in an attempt to wear down air defense systems around the Russian capital.