Ukraine Launches 34-Drones in Largest Attack on Moscow Since War Began

Ukraine launched its most significant drone attack on Moscow since the war began in early 2022, sending at least 34 drones into the Russian capital on Sunday.

The assault injured one person and disrupted dozens of flights at Moscow’s major airports—Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky—according to Russian officials.

Ukraine hit Moscow with the largest drone strike the Russian capital has seen since the start of the war on Sunday morning. AFP via Getty Images

“The Kyiv regime attempted a terrorist attack using aeroplane-type drones on the territory of the Russian Federation,” stated Russia’s Defense Ministry, confirming that Russian forces intercepted additional drones across the western region of the country.

A Russian police officer questions a resident at the site of a drone attack in the village of Stanovoye, Moscow region, on November 10, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

Ukrainian military sources also reported a separate wave of drone strikes targeting Russia’s Bryansk region, where local authorities claimed at least 14 drones were shot down.

Unverified videos posted on Russian Telegram channels captured footage of drones soaring above Bryansk, underscoring the rising tension and aerial conflicts between the two nations.

This latest attack on Moscow comes as Russian forces continue an intensive bombing campaign against Kyiv, where 145 drones were launched overnight in recent days, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukraine’s air defences intercepted 62 of those drones, though others struck civilian structures and energy infrastructure, causing widespread damage.

A small group of infantry rotates forward positions in the forest on November 10, 2024, in Serebryansky Reserve, about 8 kilometres southwest of Kreminna in the Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. Getty Images

As both Ukraine and Russia face stalled advances on the frontlines, drone warfare has become a central tactic, shaping the strategies on both sides.

Now approaching its third year, the conflict has prompted Moscow to fortify its defences, particularly around the Kremlin, where an advanced “umbrella” system intercepts incoming drones, shielding much of the capital from immediate impact. Despite Sunday’s attack, daily life in Moscow remains relatively undisturbed, with limited visible fear among the population.

A rescuer works to extinguish a fire in a house following a drone attack in the village of Stanovoye, Moscow region, on November 10, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

On the frontlines, however, Russian soldiers have reported heightened anxiety over drone threats, a sentiment echoed by Ukrainian troops. Both countries frequently release drone footage depicting strikes on enemy combatants, part of an effort to unsettle each other’s forces.

A tank drives through the forest on November 10, 2024, in Serebryansky Reserve. Getty Images

Civilians in Ukraine also feel the psychological toll of these attacks, particularly in areas like Kherson. Recently reclaimed by Ukraine, Kherson continues to experience Russian drone strikes, and between July and October, local officials reported that drones and mines killed at least 133 people and wounded more than 1,350 others.

Russian law enforcement officers inspect the wreckage of a drone following a drone attack in the village of Sofyino, Moscow region, on November 10, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

As drone warfare intensifies, Ukraine and Russia remain locked in a high-stakes, technologically driven conflict with no signs of abating as both military and civilian targets lie in the crossfire.