Russia says it shot down dozens of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow and regional cities in a second consecutive night of attacks, just days before key World War Two memorial events.
Russian air defence units destroyed at least 19 Ukrainian drones approaching Moscow overnight, according to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The attack, coming from multiple directions, forced a shutdown of all four Moscow airports for several hours. No casualties or major destruction were reported.
Telegram channels linked to Russian security services reported a drone strike on a residential building near a main road in southern Moscow. Windows were smashed, but no injuries occurred.
Tuesday marked the second straight night of drone attacks. Russia’s aviation authority halted flights not only in Moscow but in several regional airports to ensure safety.
President Vladimir Putin had announced a three-day ceasefire from May 8 to 10, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War Two. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called the move pointless, proposing instead a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, as previously suggested by Washington.
Beyond Moscow, 18 drones were destroyed over Russia’s Voronezh region, causing minor damage to a building and a playground. In the Penza region, 10 drones were intercepted with no reported damage.
Since the full-scale war began over three years ago, Ukraine has repeatedly used drones to strike targets inside Russia. The deadliest attack came in March, killing three in Moscow.
Kyiv has not commented on the latest strike but maintains that such operations target military infrastructure in response to continued Russian assaults on Ukrainian cities and energy grids.
At least 12,654 civilians have been killed and 29,392 injured since 24 February 2022, with the majority (84%) in territory controlled by Ukraine.
Children accounted for 673 deaths and 1,895 of those injured.
The number of civilian casualties increased by 30% in 2024, compared to 2023, the report added.
The findings also show people over the age of 60 made up nearly half of civilian deaths - despite accounting for 25% of the population in frontline communities in 2024.
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