Moscow, March 11, 2025 (Reuters) – In what is believed to be Ukraine’s largest drone attack on Moscow since the war began, at least one person was killed and several others injured early on Tuesday as dozens of drones targeted the Russian capital. The assault has triggered fires, caused significant damage to infrastructure, and led to widespread disruptions in air and rail transport.
The drone strike began at approximately 4 a.m., according to Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov, who confirmed the death of one civilian and at least three other injuries. He also stated that the attack resulted in fires in multiple locations around Moscow. In a post on Telegram, Vorobyov described the scale of the assault, stating that 69 drones were intercepted and downed as they approached the city in several waves.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that multiple residential buildings were damaged, and seven apartments were hit in the Ramenskoye district, forcing evacuations. In addition to residential destruction, rail infrastructure in the Domodedovo district, about 35 km south of the city, was also reported damaged by falling drone debris.
The assault led to the suspension of flights at all four of Moscow’s major airports, affecting air travel in and out of the region. Airports in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions, both located east of Moscow, were also temporarily closed. The Russian aviation authorities made the decision to halt flights to ensure air safety following the unprecedented attack.
Russian news sources, including the Telegram channel Baza, shared videos showing several fires sparked by the drones. The destruction and panic caused by the attack are unprecedented in scale, leaving parts of Moscow and its surrounding areas in chaos.
The drone strikes are seen as part of Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to target Russian infrastructure, particularly those key to sustaining the war effort. Ukrainian officials have stated that their attacks are in response to Russia’s continuous airstrikes on Ukraine, aimed at weakening Moscow’s military capabilities.
In addition to Moscow, drone attacks were also reported in Russia’s Ryazan and Belgorod regions, the latter bordering Ukraine. Power outages affected several settlements in Belgorod, further exacerbating the situation.
The attacks come amid ongoing peace talks in Saudi Arabia, where U.S. and Ukrainian representatives are meeting to discuss the resolution of the ongoing conflict, which has now stretched into its third year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
