Sobyanin: 613 Drones Target Moscow Region in Overnight Strike
The mayor reported that 231 craft were shot down near the capital, causing temporary closures at three major airports.
By Chioma Brooks ·
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that 613 drones flew toward the capital region between the evening of October 28 and the morning of October 29.
Kremlin-aligned news agency TASS and local outlet Astra confirmed the scale of the operation. Sobyanin stated that 231 of the aircraft were destroyed as they approached Moscow itself. Russian authorities described the event as a massive aerial assault on the city and its surrounding oblast.
The drone activity forced temporary restrictions at three major airports. The Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, imposed limits on arrivals and departures at Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky. Zhukovsky, also known as Ramenskoye, lifted its restrictions after one hour. Vnukovo and Domodedovo continued operations under a system requiring specific approvals for aircraft acceptance.
Two commercial aircraft traveling from Turkey to Moscow were diverted during the peak of the attack. The disruptions forced airlines to adjust flight paths and schedules. An air-raid warning for Moscow Oblast went out at approximately 22:00 local time on October 28.
Witnesses reported hearing three distinct explosions near Naro-Fominsk, located 56 kilometers from Moscow's main ring road. Astra noted that residents heard the blasts despite a lack of audible drone noise in the area. Further explosions occurred in the direction of Kaluga Oblast in rapid succession.
Sobyanin provided updated figures throughout the night. He initially reported 57 drones intercepted. By 02:15, the total reached 64. After 04:00, he announced 15 more downed. By 05:00, officials confirmed 109 drones had been intercepted since the start of the day.
Emergency services worked at sites where drone debris fell. Authorities did not provide detailed information on specific damage. This follows a period of heightened tension, as Moscow officials previously complained about drone attacks on two consecutive nights earlier in the month. Sobyanin stated that the majority of threats were neutralized before reaching the city center.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
