Russia says Ukraine launched a fresh overnight drone assault targeting Moscow, marking the second such attack in as many nights. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, at least 19 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed from various directions before reaching the capital.
While no casualties were reported, debris from the downed drones reportedly fell on a key highway into Moscow. Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia confirmed that all four of Moscow’s main airports were shut for several hours but have since resumed operations.
Ukraine has yet to comment on the strikes. However, Ukrainian authorities in Kharkiv and Kyiv also reported Russian drone attacks overnight, with the governor of Odesa, Oleh Kiper, confirming that one person was killed.
The latest escalation follows Monday’s reported destruction of 26 Ukrainian drones by Russia, suggesting a marked increase in aerial hostilities. Military bloggers in Russia also posted unverified reports of damage to residential buildings in Moscow and drone activity in cities including Penza and Voronezh.
Simultaneously, reports of renewed Ukrainian incursions into Russia’s Kursk region emerged, with Ukrainian forces allegedly striking a drone command unit near the village of Tyotkino. Kyiv stated it continues to maintain a military presence in the Kursk region nine months after its surprise cross-border operation began.
Russian officials in Kursk reported a power outage in the town of Rylsk after an electrical substation was struck. Acting governor Alexander Khinshtein said two transformers were damaged and two teenagers injured by shrapnel.
According to Russian military bloggers, Ukrainian forces attempted to cross the border again on Monday, using mine-clearance vehicles followed by armored troops. They also reported bridges destroyed by rocket fire ahead of the assault.
The border town of Sumy, just 12km from Tyotkino, has urged residents to evacuate from two nearby settlements due to heightened risk. Ukraine’s initial incursion into Kursk in August 2024 aimed to create a buffer zone to protect the Sumy region and potentially gain leverage in future negotiations.
As border clashes and drone warfare continue to escalate, tensions between the two sides remain dangerously high, raising concerns of a broader conflict spilling deeper into Russian territory.