Ukraine has launched one of its largest drone attacks on Moscow, as Russian anti-aircraft units defense have destroyed at least 10 drones flying towards the capital, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
Some of the drones were destroyed over the city of Podolsk, he specified. The city is located about 38 km south of the Kremlin.
"Air defense systems of the Ministry of Defense continue to repel enemy drone attacks,” Sobyanin said in Telegram at 4:43 am.
"This is one of the largest attempted drone strikes against Moscow in history. We continue to monitor the situation.".
He added that according to preliminary information, there were no casualties or damage as a result of the attacks.
In recent months, Ukraine has often launched one or two drones aimed at Moscow without causing significant damage. However, tonight's attack appears to be larger than the May 2023 attack, when at least eight drones were destroyed over the capital in an attack that President Vladimir Putin said was an attempt by Kiev to intimidate and provoke Russia.
Russian officials rarely reveal the full extent of the attacks, reporting only the drones that the country's air defense units have destroyed. Both Ukraine and Russia also rarely disclose the full extent of the damage they inflict with their attacks, unless residential or civilian infrastructure is damaged or civilians are killed, Reuters notes.
The attack on Moscow was part of a wider Ukrainian drone attack against Russia, with the air defense system also destroying 18 drones over the border region of Bryansk and separate drones and missiles over other regions, Russian officials said.
There were no reports of casualties or damage following the attack on the border Bryansk region in southwestern Russia, governor Alexander Bogomaz said on Telegram.
Russia's state news agency RIA also reported that two drones were destroyed over Tula Oblast, which borders Moscow Oblast to the north.
In addition, Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region in southwestern Russia, said air defense forces had destroyed a missile fired from Ukraine over the region, with no reports of casualties.
For now, there is no comment from the Ukrainian side.
In recent months, Kiev has stepped up its airstrikes over Russian territory, saying it aims to destroy infrastructure that is key to Moscow's military effort. Ukraine also claims the attacks are a response to ongoing Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory.