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Russia Downs 20+ Drones Over Moscow in Major Ukrainian Attack Wave

Russian air defense systems shot down more than 20 drones over Moscow in a single night, continuing a major wave of attacks. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated over 180 drones have been intercepted in the last three days, calling it the largest such wave this year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported Russia launched about 430 drones and missiles toward Ukraine, emphasizing the critical need for air defense systems. The attacks caused repeated flight restrictions at Moscow airports, though authorities reported no casualties or infrastructure damage.

Key Points: Russia Intercepts 20+ Drones Over Moscow in Major Attack

  • Major drone attack wave on Moscow
  • No casualties or damage reported
  • Hundreds of drones intercepted over days
  • Flight disruptions at Moscow airports
  • Ukraine calls for urgent air defense aid
2 min read

Russia downs 20 drones over Moscow since midnight

Russia shoots down over 20 drones targeting Moscow, part of a massive wave of 180+ Ukrainian drone attacks intercepted in recent days.

"over 180 drones have been downed, marking the largest wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian capital this year - Sergei Sobyanin"

Moscow, March 17

More than 20 drones have been shot down over Moscow since midnight Tuesday, the Russian news agency TASS reported.

In the last three days, over 180 drones have been downed, marking the largest wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian capital this year, said Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

Moscow authorities reported no casualties or infrastructure damage, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on March 16, the Russian Defense Ministry had said that Russian air defence systems shot down 145 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight, including dozens targeting the Moscow region.

Between 11 p.m. Sunday and 8 a.m. Monday (2000 GMT Sunday and 0500 GMT Monday), a total of 53 drones were intercepted over the Moscow region, including 46 heading toward the capital, the ministry said. Another 38 drones were downed over the border region of Bryansk.

Sergei Sobyanin, mayor of Moscow, said that over the past two days, air defense forces had destroyed about 250 Ukrainian drones approaching the city and at a second defensive line in its direction.

Flight restrictions were repeatedly introduced and lifted at several Moscow airports during the period, according to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency.

On Sunday, Russia had said that it shot down 605 drones, 12 US-made HIMARS rockets, two Neptune long-range missiles and four guided aerial bombs fired by the Ukrainian armed forces.

Meanwhile, Russian forces had raided energy and transport infrastructure used by Ukrainian troops, sites involved in Ukraine's training and launch of long-range drones, and temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries, Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Earlier on Sunday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had said on social media that Russia's air defence systems had intercepted 28 Ukrainian drones heading toward Moscow, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia launched about 430 drones and several ballistic missiles towards Ukraine and underlined the importance of air defence system as a "daily necessity" for the country.

He urged for speeding up of agreements on missile supplies and called for the production of air defence missiles.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The scale of these attacks is staggering - 180 drones in 3 days! It shows the war is reaching deeper into Russia. As an Indian, our government's balanced stance is crucial. We need peace, not escalation, for the sake of the Global South.
R
Rohit P
Both sides are reporting huge numbers of drones shot down. Hard to know the truth on the ground. One thing is clear: the human cost, on both sides, must be terrible. Our prayers are with all innocent civilians caught in this.
S
Sarah B
The article mentions no casualties in Moscow, which is a relief. But President Zelensky's point about air defence being a "daily necessity" hits home. It underscores why India must continue to strengthen its own defence and indigenous manufacturing.
V
Vikram M
While the conflict is tragic, there is a strategic lesson here for India. Drone warfare is the future. We need to invest heavily in both offensive and defensive drone tech and electronic warfare. Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence is non-negotiable.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, the article feels like it's mostly repeating Russian ministry statements. A more balanced report would give equal weight to Ukrainian claims about the damage caused by Russian attacks on their infrastructure. The suffering is mutual.
M
Michael C

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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