Russian Forces Down Drones Heading for Moscow
In the early hours from Monday night to Tuesday morning, Russian anti-aircraft units intercepted and destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones that were reportedly targeting Moscow. Additionally, they shot down many more drones in Crimea and other western regions of Russia, according to official sources.
Moscow’s Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, updated residents via the Telegram app, explaining that the drones were dismantled during a twelve-hour span. Experts are now analyzing the debris left behind.
As a result of these incidents, flights at Sheremetyevo Airport, which is Russia’s busiest airport by passenger traffic, faced delays and cancellations. The national airline, Aeroflot, indicated that full operations should resume by the end of Tuesday.
Russia’s Defense Ministry shared on Telegram that by midnight local time, their forces had destroyed a total of 81 drones and an additional 69 between midnight and 7 AM.
Reports from Reuters could not be independently verified, but Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Sevastopol in Crimea, confirmed that at least six drones were taken down near the naval port. He noted that falling debris caused a fire on nearby land, but it was quickly put out.
In Tula, located in central Russia, Governor Dmitry Milyayev reported three drones were also intercepted without causing any damage or injuries. Meanwhile, in the Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov advised parents to keep their children at home, and two shopping centers in that area were temporarily closed for safety.
