Moscow: Russian authorities said several major airports around Moscow were temporarily closed on Sunday night following what they described as one of the largest Ukrainian drone assaults since the war began. The attack, which triggered widespread air raid alarms and defensive operations, has once again brought the conflict deep into Russian territory.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, air defense units intercepted 193 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, including 34 near Moscow. The country’s civil aviation authority briefly halted operations at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports, citing safety concerns. Flight delays and diversions were reported, but operations later resumed after airspace was cleared.

In the Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, officials confirmed that one person was killed and five others were injured when a drone struck a minibus. Explosions were also reported in several areas around Moscow, including near the Shaikovka airbase in Kaluga, though no significant infrastructure damage has been officially acknowledged.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the city’s air defenses worked efficiently to neutralize incoming drones, adding that emergency services were deployed to assess debris and ensure public safety. Witnesses described seeing flashes in the night sky and hearing multiple loud explosions.

Ukraine has not issued an official comment on the attack. However, the strike aligns with Kyiv’s recent strategy of targeting key infrastructure and military facilities deep within Russian territory, an effort to disrupt Moscow’s logistical networks and retaliate against ongoing missile strikes on Ukrainian cities.

This latest incident highlights how drone warfare has reshaped the battlefield. While Russia claims most incoming drones were destroyed, repeated closures of major airports and visible explosions in the capital region are deepening public anxiety about the war’s reach.

Military analysts say the scale of the reported attack demonstrates Ukraine’s growing capability to strike far beyond front-line areas. For Russia, the challenge of defending against swarms of small, low-flying drones continues to test its air defense systems and response coordination.

As both nations intensify their campaigns, the air war shows no sign of slowing, and civilians on both sides remain exposed to the expanding range of the conflict.