The Ukrainian military launched a massive drone strike on the cities of Moscow and Rostov overnight Sunday into Monday, while President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Berlin for talks on a peace plan with Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to the Russian authorities, the air defense shot down 130 drones, 18 of which were heading towards the capital of the Russian Federation.
Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on Russia PHOTO: Telegram/ RBC-Ukraine
The Russian Defense Ministry announced Monday morning that its air defense units had intercepted 130 Ukrainian drones overnight, 18 of which were aimed at Moscow, The Kyiv Independent reported. Following the attack, explosions were reported in several areas and two airports, Zhukovsky and Domodedovo, were temporarily closed. Numerous aircraft were grounded or had significant delays, while others were unable to land.
Video source: Telegram/Astra
The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, confirmed the attack and stated that Russian air defenses shot down “at least 18 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) heading towards Moscow”.
According to the mayor, the intervention teams cleaned up the debris left behind by the drones. “Emergency services are working at the site where the debris fell“, Sobyanin wrote on Telegram, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda. So far, no casualties or material damage have been reported.
Video source: Telegram/Astra
Attack on Rostov as well
The same night, the city of Rostov, an important logistics and military center in southern Russia, was targeted by a drone attack. According to local Telegram channels, Russian air defense destroyed dozens of drones. Residents reported that the explosions began around 2:20 a.m. in the western part of the city and continued intermittently.
Video source: Telegram/ Supernova+
Residents on the outskirts heard the characteristic sound of drones in flight before the explosions, and debris from a downed drone fell into a residential area, causing a fire. Witnesses reported that the explosion was so powerful that the windows of surrounding buildings shook and the alarms of parked cars went off. The published images show the moment when an aerial target is hit, and the burning debris almost touches a block of flats.
Video source: Telegram/ Supernova+
Russian authorities have yet to provide official information on the scale of the attack or the possible consequences. Rostov is home to military facilities, fuel and ammunition depots, as well as transport and command infrastructure, making the city a strategic target. Attacks on these targets aim to disrupt supply chains, complicate military control and demonstrate the vulnerability of rear areas, without necessarily aiming for direct civilian harm.
Repeated attacks in the Moscow region
The bombings of Moscow came less than a week after another massive attack involving more than 30 drones on December 10. Residents of the city of Kashira, in the Moscow region, said they heard explosions and the response of air defenses.
These attacks indicate an escalation of the conflict and highlight Ukraine's ability to target Russia's strategic infrastructure even during international peace negotiations.
