Ukraine Targets Moscow with Drones for Second Straight Night, Officials Say

Reuters

12:00 JST, May 6, 2025

Russian air defence units destroyed a swarm of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow for the second night in a row, prompting the closure of the capital’s airports, Russian officials said early on Tuesday.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that at least 19 Ukrainian drones were destroyed on their approach to Moscow “from different directions”.

Three social media sites on the Telegram messaging app with links to Russian security services — Baza, Mash and Shot — said one drone struck an apartment building near a major road in the south of the capital, smashing windows. There were no reports of casualties.

Sobyanin, writing on his own Telegram channel said there was “no destruction or casualties” at any of the sites where fragments had fallen.

“Specialists from the emergency services are working at the sites where the incidents occurred,” he said.

Sobyanin referred to debris falling on one of the key highways leading into the city, but made no mention of a dwelling being hit.

Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said on Telegram it had halted flights at all four airports that serve Moscow. Airports in a number of regional cities were also closed.

On Tuesday, Russia’s air defence units destroyed four Ukrainian drones on their approach to Moscow, with no damage or injuries reported.

The war began more than three years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine, a move Moscow described as a special military operation. Since then, Kyiv has launched several drone attacks on Moscow. Its biggest attack in March killed three people.

There was no immediate comment from Kyiv about the latest drone attack.

Ukraine says its drone attacks are aimed at destroying infrastructure key to Moscow’s overall war efforts and are in response to Russia’s continued assault on Ukrainian territory, including residential areas and energy infrastructure.