Ukrainian forces launched their most substantial drone assault on Moscow to date, Reuters reported Tuesday, killing two workers at a meat warehouse and injuring 18 others including three children. The early morning offensive prompted authorities to temporarily suspend operations at all four of Moscow's airports.
Russian defense officials told Reuters that their forces downed 337 drones across Russia, with 91 intercepted over the Moscow region and 126 over the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops have begun withdrawing. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin characterized the assault as the largest Ukrainian drone attack on the capital city, which along with its surrounding region is home to at least 21 million residents.
The attack occurred as US officials prepared to meet with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia to pursue an end to the three-year conflict, according to Reuters. It also comes as Russian forces attempt to encircle thousands of Ukrainian soldiers in western Russia's Kursk region. Russia's defense ministry stated that its North group forces had reclaimed 12 settlements during their offensive and recovered more than 62 square miles of territory in the Kursk region. Reuters reported that Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of Russian Armed Forces, inspected troops involved in the conflict in the region.
Miratorg, one of Russia's largest meat producers, confirmed that two employees were killed by falling debris. Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov shared an image of a damaged apartment with windows destroyed, though reports indicate Moscow residents continued their daily routines despite the attack.
Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov, who heads parliament's defense committee and previously served as deputy defense minister, suggested Russia should retaliate by striking Ukraine with the "Oreshnik" hypersonic missile, which Moscow deployed against Ukraine last November after the US and UK permitted Kyiv to conduct deeper strikes into Russia using Western missiles. "But I think it would be useful – and not just one," he stated, noting that such a decision ultimately rests with President Vladimir Putin.
Russia's aviation watchdog reported that flights were suspended at all four of Moscow's airports following the attacks, though operations later resumed with some flights diverted to other cities.
Despite US President Donald Trump's expressed desire to achieve peace in Ukraine, the conflict continues to intensify, with Russia mounting a major spring offensive in Kursk and Ukraine conducting numerous drone attacks deep into Russian territory.
Russia has established extensive electronic countermeasures over Moscow and key installations, including advanced internal protection layers for strategic buildings and complex air defense networks designed to intercept drones before they can reach the Kremlin in the capital's center.
The conflict, Europe's largest since World War II, has combined traditional trench and artillery warfare with innovative drone technology. Both Moscow and Kyiv have worked to acquire and develop new drones, deploy them creatively, and devise methods to neutralize them – ranging from farmers' shotguns to electronic jamming systems.
Both sides have weaponized inexpensive commercial drones while expanding their own production capabilities. Soldiers have reported intense fear of drones, and both sides have utilized graphic footage of fatal strikes in their propaganda, showing soldiers being killed in various circumstances.
Putin, who has attempted to shield Moscow from the war's effects, has labeled Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure such as nuclear power plants as "terrorism" and promised to respond. Meanwhile, Moscow, Russia's wealthiest city, has experienced economic growth during the conflict, fueled by the largest defense spending increase since the Cold War.
