Ukraine Fires Hundreds of Drones at Russia, Moscow Says: Ukraine has launched one of the biggest aerial assaults this week, firing hundreds of explosive drones well within Russian territory.
The Ministry of Defense in Moscow said the attack unfolded over 36 hours from Tuesday night through Thursday morning, across 10 regions including the capital Moscow.
Ukraine’s Big Drone Attack
The Kremlin announced that 485 drones were intercepted by its air defenses – 63 being stopped in their tracks over Moscow’s skies. One drone reportedly hit the roof of a Tula apartment block, while others sparked fires near a Ryazan oil refinery.
Russian Telegram channels documented disruption across airports in Moscow, prompting crowding and delays at numerous terminals.
As usual, Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the strikes deep in Russian territory. Yet the scale and coordination suggest a cunning and bold plan to rattle the home front in Russia.
This new onslaught of drones arrived mere days after a phone conversation between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump which yielded zero serious progress toward a cease-fire, despite the latter’s vow to end the conflict in 24 hours.
On Thursday Russia fired 128 drones toward Ukraine, presumably in retaliation for Kyiv’s own recent attack. The slew of drones caused damage in residential areas of Dnipro and Kharkiv. A slew of intercepted drone debris landed on a Kyiv schoolyard.
This latest wave of drone attacks marks a clear violation of the shaky agreement sealed on March 18 to avoid energy infrastructure strikes. The pair of countries have accused the other of violating the deal, although neither publicly confirmed specific incidents until this week.
Could the level of this fresh exchange mark the end of this deal?
Tula region officials told residents to follow drone strike safety protocols, advising residents via the Telegram social media app to “stay away from windows.” Whatever Moscow would like to be the case, it is clear that Ukraine’s drone technology is a threat to civilian and military life on its own soil.
Naturally, Russia’s state media publicly played down the scale of the damage. But what was initially a rough front-line war is now stepping into something more high-tech and anchored on long-range confrontations.
But as diplomacy attempts appear to stall, will this uptick in violence bring either side closer to what they would consider a victory? It seems unlikely.
One thing remains clear: Ukraine cannot rely on Washington to strike a peace deal that it would deem acceptable.
About the Author:
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
Meet the Best Tanks on Earth
