Russia and Ukraine Exchange Unprecedented Drone Strikes Amid Ongoing Conflict

Russia and Ukraine engaged in an unprecedented exchange of drone strikes over the weekend, setting new records in terms of scale and intensity on both sides. Russian forces launched 145 drones towards Ukraine on Saturday night, marking the largest nighttime drone assault recorded in the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced.

The drones used in the attack included Shahed drones, one-way, low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with a preprogrammed flight path designed for direct strikes. President Zelensky noted that over the past week alone, Russia has deployed over 600 strike drones, more than 800 guided aerial bombs, and nearly 20 missiles of various types against Ukrainian targets.

In a statement on Sunday, Ukraine’s Air Force Command confirmed the scale of the assault, disclosing that 62 of the Russian drones were intercepted and shot down. Additionally, Ukrainian officials reported that 67 Russian drones were lost on radar in multiple regions across Ukraine, while 10 drones exited Ukrainian airspace, heading toward Moldova, Belarus, and Russia.

Ukraine, in response, launched its own record-breaking drone assault on Moscow overnight on Saturday. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Ukraine directed 34 drones towards the Russian capital, leading to disruptions at two Moscow airports. Russia’s air defenses reportedly intercepted and destroyed all drones in the Moscow area between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

The Moscow governor, Andrey Vorobyov, reported that the downed drones’ shrapnel led to fires in two homes in the Ramenskoye district. A 52-year-old woman sustained injuries from the debris and was admitted to the hospital with burns on her face, neck, and hands. She remains in intensive care.

Following the incident, flights at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports were temporarily restricted, with operations resuming after a brief two-hour suspension, according to TASS, Russia’s state media agency. Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment on the strikes.

Previously, the largest drone strike on Moscow occurred in September when Russia reported downing over 20 Ukrainian drones in a single assault. That attack led to the death of one person, closures at three of Moscow’s four main airports for over six hours, and nearly 50 diverted flights.