LONDON – Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that at least 41 drones were shot down en route to the Russian capital from Monday evening until Tuesday morning. This attack is believed to be part of a substantial barrage from Ukraine, as indicated by information from the Russian Defense Ministry.
Sobyanin noted that the hostile drones were first detected around 7:30 PM local time on Monday, with interceptions continuing into the early hours of Tuesday.
He confirmed that there were no reported casualties but mentioned that emergency services were on site dealing with debris that fell during the drone attack.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have struck down at least 69 drones from midnight Monday to Tuesday morning.
Earlier on Monday, officials reported a total of 236 intercepted Ukrainian drones, marking the busiest day since September 12, and ranking among the highest daily totals for both August and September.
Meanwhile, Andriy Kovalenko, leading Ukraine’s Counter-Disinformation Center under the National Security and Defense Council, hinted on Telegram that additional Ukrainian drone activity targeted the city of Yelabuga, around 565 miles east of Moscow, where a significant drone manufacturing facility is located.
The aerial attacks caused various disruptions across Russia.
Rosaviatsiya, the country’s air transport agency, announced that commercial flights at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport were temporarily restricted. The capital’s other airports, including Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky, experienced similar disruptions due to the drone activity.
Other airports, such as those in Yaroslavl, Saratov, Samara, Begishevo, Kazan, and Gelendzhik, also faced temporary flight limitations, confirmed by Rosaviatsiya.
These drone strikes occurred just before the anticipated meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations General Assembly.
Despite Trump’s attempts to mediate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, progress has been limited. The president has shown frustration with efforts from both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging both sides to compromise for peace.
Meanwhile, Kyiv and its European allies are advocating for Trump to impose further sanctions on Russia while increasing military support for Ukraine and offering security assurances to prevent additional aggression from Russia.
Upon arriving in New York, Zelenskyy noted on social media, “We’ve scheduled nearly two dozen meetings. A lot is on our agenda. It’s vital for Ukraine to strengthen its position.”
On the preceding Sunday, the Ukrainian President reiterated the need for global partners to intensify efforts pushing Russia toward negotiations to conclude its ongoing invasion, which has now been in effect for three and a half years.
“There is a crucial need for strong pressure on Russia and united actions from all who believe in the return of international law,” Zelenskyy emphasized, calling on Europe, the USA, G7, and G20 nations – all of whom have significant influence over Russia.
Zelenskyy concluded with a stern reminder of the necessity for “truly effective sanctions, accountability on Russia for the war, and substantial political pressure.” It’s seen as imperative by the Ukrainian leadership.
Simultaneously, Russia continues its campaign of long-range attacks as it launched three missiles and 115 drones overnight into Tuesday. Ukraine reported downing or neutralizing 103 of those drones.
According to the air force, all missiles and drones caused effects in six different locations; strikes resulted in casualties in Zaporizhzhia and Odesa as local officials confirmed that civilian infrastructures were significant targets for these attacks.
Contributions made to this report by Natalya Kushnir and Helena Skinner from ABC News.
