613 Ukrainian Drones Launched Towards Moscow Overnight
The October 29 attack follows major drone assaults in August and September, as Ukrainian strikes increasingly reach deep into Russian territory and Russian attacks continue to hit Ukrainian cities.
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In a Nutshell
- Russian state news agency TASS reported that 613 drones were launched towards Moscow between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 231 were destroyed on approach to the city, while the rest were neutralised farther away.
- The latest attack follows a September barrage in which Russian air defences reported shooting down more than 1,600 drones targeting the Moscow region.
- In August, Ukraine launched more than 620 drones towards Moscow. The attack damaged homes and a Wildberries logistics complex in the Moscow region.
- Meanwhile, Russian strikes damaged an educational institution in Kharkiv on Thursday, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Context
The latest attack is another major drone assault on the Moscow region after Ukraine launched more than 620 drones towards the capital in August and Russia reported intercepting more than 1,600 in September. During the August attack, three people were wounded in the Moscow region, according to regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov. A house burned down in Pavlovsky Posad, several homes and a guesthouse were damaged in Bogorodsky district, and debris struck a Wildberries logistics complex. The company reported minor damage to the facility.
The August assault also coincided with Russian attacks on Ukraine's Kharkiv region that killed 10 people and injured at least 18 in Pechenihy, according to Ukrainian officials. Five others, including a nine-year-old boy, were injured in Izyum. Russian drones also damaged buildings and warehouses in the Kyiv region.
The latest reported drone barrage comes as Russian strikes continue against Ukrainian cities. On Thursday, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said a Russian attack had damaged an educational institution in Ukraine's second largest city.
Why It Matters
The October 29 attack is another major Ukrainian drone assault on Moscow in a war that has increasingly extended beyond the front lines. Ukraine launched more than 620 drones towards the capital in August, followed by a September barrage in which Russian air defences reported shooting down more than 1,600 drones targeting the Moscow region. The latest report of 613 drones shows that large-scale attacks on the Russian capital region have continued in the months since.
The attacks also come as Russia continues its own strikes on Ukrainian cities. In August, Russian attacks killed 10 people in Pechenihy in the Kharkiv region, while Thursday's strikes damaged an educational institution in Kharkiv. The continued attacks on both sides mean that the war's impact extends beyond military positions, with residential areas, commercial facilities and other civilian infrastructure exposed to danger.
What We Think
More than four years into Russia's full-scale invasion, Russian strikes have taken a far heavier toll on Ukraine, killing civilians and damaging infrastructure, while Ukraine continues to launch large-scale drone attacks on Moscow. The latest assault comes as Ukraine continues to strike targets deep inside Russia despite facing sustained Russian attacks at home.