Ukraine has carried out its largest drone assault on Moscow in two years, according to Russian state media agency TASS, in an overnight operation that damaged infrastructure, sparked fires, and sent debris falling across parts of the Russian capital region.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defence systems intercepted more than 40 drones targeting the city. Despite the interceptions, falling wreckage reportedly caused damage in several areas, marking one of the most significant attacks on the capital since the escalation of the war.
Operations at all major Moscow airports were temporarily suspended, according to reports from Russia’s aviation authorities cited by Reuters, as authorities worked to secure airspace and assess the situation.
The attack formed part of a wider Ukrainian drone campaign targeting multiple regions inside Russia. Ukrainian forces have increasingly focused on long-range strikes against energy and industrial infrastructure in recent weeks, a strategy President Volodymyr Zelensky says is intended to pressure Moscow into ending the war.
Speaking from Brussels during meetings with NATO officials, Zelensky described the strikes as “a fully justified response” to continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. He also claimed that recent operations demonstrated the “precision and effectiveness” of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities.
Among the reported targets was the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, which had also been struck earlier in the week. Video footage geolocated by international media showed thick smoke rising from the facility, followed by a large explosion.
Other footage and reports indicated smoke near the Sadovod trading complex, while debris damage was reported at residential buildings in Zhukovsky outside Moscow and at a shopping centre within the capital.
Russia responded with its own overnight barrage, launching missiles and drones at several regions across Ukraine. Ukrainian military officials said the strikes hit energy and gas infrastructure, affecting facilities that support civilian life far from the front lines.
The latest exchange of attacks highlights the growing intensity of the conflict, with Ukraine increasingly targeting Russia’s energy sector, which remains a key source of revenue for the Russian state. Analysts estimate that oil exports account for roughly one-third of Russia’s budget income, despite sanctions imposed by Western countries.
The developments came shortly after the G7 summit in France, where Western leaders reaffirmed support for Ukraine and discussed strengthening air defence systems. President Donald Trump reportedly urged Russia to consider a peace deal, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said discussions were ongoing to ensure Ukraine receives continued military support.
At a NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels, officials stressed that allied countries were working to sustain Ukraine’s defence capabilities, including missile interception systems, amid concerns about the war’s long-term trajectory.
Despite tensions within the alliance over burden-sharing, NATO leadership insisted that Europe was increasing its defence contributions, while maintaining coordination with the United States under the alliance’s joint defence framework.