Mass drone assault on Moscow — Sergey Sobyanin says 862 drones launched overnight
Mayor Sergey Sobyanin says air defences intercepted most of a mass drone operation; Kremlin calls the timing “unusual.”
Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin said early Friday that the Russian capital was the target of a massive overnight drone operation, which he described as one of the largest this year.
According to Sobyanin, 862 unmanned aerial vehicles were launched toward the Moscow region between last night and this morning. He said Russia's air-defence forces intercepted the majority of devices, and that 170 drones were shot down as they approached the capital.
Previous waves and context
The mayor's account follows a separate large-scale strike on the night of October 28 and 29, when roughly 613 drones were reported launched. Officials have pointed to a pattern of repeated, high-volume attacks through the autumn.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the latest incident, calling it "unusual" that Kyiv would attempt a drone attack on Moscow while the Russia–Africa summit was taking place.
An earlier major assault occurred on the night of September 19 and 20, when Russian military statements said about 1,600 drones had been destroyed overall, with roughly 450 of those aimed at Moscow.
The mayor’s figures and the official statements underline the continued strain on the capital’s air-defence systems and the wider security implications for Moscow as aerial attacks persist.
Photo: press material from the event
