Ukrainian drones target Moscow, grounding flights at major airports
Hundreds of Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow overnight, grounding flights at three airports and prompting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to say the war 'must continue'.
Hundreds of Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow overnight on 28-29 October, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, grounding flights at three of the Russian capital's four main airports. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the war "must continue so that we are protected from threats."
Sobyanin said 613 drones were launched toward the Moscow region overnight, of which 231 were intercepted while approaching the city; Russian began responding before 22:30 local time, and waves of attacks continued through the night. His running tallies varied as the night went on, rising at one point to 72 intercepted drones and later to a reported 166, Stiripesurse reported, citing his Telegram updates.
Russia's aviation regulator, Rosaviatsiya, suspended flights at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports; restrictions were later lifted at Zhukovsky, while temporary limits remained at the other two. Two flights from Istanbul to Moscow were forced to turn back because of the restrictions at Vnukovo, Russian state news agency TASS reported. Residents near Naro-Fominsk, about 50km southwest of Moscow, reported a series of explosions, independent Russian Telegram channel Astra said.
No casualties or damage were reported by authorities, and Sobyanin did not name any specific targets.
Peskov said it was "strange" for Ukraine to carry out "such a massive drone attack" while Moscow was hosting a Russia-Africa summit attended by delegations from 48 countries, 22 of them led by heads of state, at the Grand Kremlin Palace.
The attack came as Russia, Ukraine and the United States prepare for a new round of trilateral talks aimed at ending the war; President Volodymyr Zelensky said on 28 October he expects the negotiations in mid-November, though Washington has yet to confirm a date. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the talks' start would depend on the battlefield situation. Moscow previously pulled out of planned talks after accusing Kyiv of striking on Russia's election day on 20 September, and has rejected Western-backed proposals for a full, unconditional ceasefire that Kyiv supports, while demanding Ukraine cede the region.
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What we know
- Hundreds of Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow overnight on 28-29 October, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said; flights were grounded at three of the region's four main airports.
- Sobyanin said 613 drones were launched at the region, with 231 intercepted approaching the city; no casualties or damage were reported.
- Rosaviatsiya suspended flights at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky; two flights from Istanbul to Moscow were forced to turn back.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the attack "strange" given Moscow was hosting a Russia-Africa summit, and said the war must continue so Russia is "protected from threats."
- The attack came as Russia, Ukraine and the US prepare for a new round of trilateral talks, which Zelensky said he expects in mid-November.
Not yet confirmed
- The exact number of drones launched is unclear, since Russian authorities report only interceptions, not launches.
Why it matters for Europe
This is one of several large-scale Ukrainian drone attacks on the Moscow region this autumn, following a strike that grounded flights at all four main airports on 23 October and one on 6 October, when Sobyanin said about 650 drones were launched, causing a fire at a major oil facility in the region's largest such attack in two years. The attacks show Ukraine's growing ability to strike deep into Russian territory even as both sides discuss a path toward negotiations.
Sources
Reported by 11 reports from 8 independent outlets in 5 countries.
- The Kyiv Independent: Moscow comes under drone fire overnight, grounding flights at major airports
- Știripesurse: Moscova, vizată de un atac masiv cu drone în cursul nopții - Zboruri suspendate pe aeroporturile principale
- Dnevni avaz: Masovni napad dronovima na Moskvu: Ruska odbrana tvrdi da je oborila većinu letjelica
- HotNews: Atac masiv, cu peste 600 de drone, asupra Moscovei, unde are loc un summit cu delegații din 48 de țări
- Antena 3 CNN: Moscova, vizată de un atac masiv cu peste 600 de drone. Două avioane din Turcia, redirecţionate după ce zborurile au fost suspendate
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- How many drones targeted Moscow?
- Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 613 drones were launched toward the region overnight, with 231 intercepted approaching the city; Russian authorities reported no casualties or damage.
- What was the effect on air travel?
- Russia's aviation regulator suspended flights at three of Moscow's four main airports; two flights from Istanbul were forced to turn back.
- What did the Kremlin say about the attack?
- Spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it "strange" given Moscow was hosting a Russia-Africa summit, and said the war must continue so Russia is "protected from threats."
This article was written with AI assistance from 8 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.