Camilla Jessen
Fifty-eight drones were shot down as they approached the city of Moscow in the early hours of March 11.
Moscow’s air defenses reportedly intercepted 58 drones early on March 11, according to the city’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, who blamed the assault on Ukrainian forces.
According to The Kyiv Independent, the claim remains unverified by independent sources.
If true, the attack would represent one of the largest reported drone incidents near the Russian capital since the start of the full-scale war.
“Emergency services are working at the site of the fallen debris,” Sobyanin wrote on Telegram.
He added that 11 drones were shot down over the Ramensky district, southeast of central Moscow.
Russian officials also reported drone interceptions in Ryazan and Tula Oblasts, suggesting a wide-ranging overnight assault targeting multiple regions.
According to Sobyanin, no casualties or significant damage had been reported as of Monday morning. However, a residential building in Vidnoye, a suburb south of Moscow, was allegedly struck by falling debris, though details remain unclear.
Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) temporarily closed Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports, two major air hubs serving Moscow, due to the incident. Flights were later resumed.
The Ukrainian military has not commented on the overnight operation. However, Ukrainian forces have increasingly targeted military and infrastructure sites deep within Russian territory, often using long-range drones to strike airbases, oil depots, and factories supporting the war effort.
In recent months, drone strikes have reached as far as St. Petersburg, Belgorod, and Moscow.