Russian air defences destroy Ukrainian drone headed for Moscow, mayor says


  • World
  • Friday, 18 Jul 2025

(Reuters) -Russian air defences destroyed two Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow late on Thursday, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

Sobyanin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, made no mention of casualties or damage, but said specialists were examining the area where drone fragments fell to the ground. Sobyanin said on Wednesday that three drones had been intercepted.

The federal aviation agency, Rosaviatsia, briefly ordered the suspension of operations at two airports near the capital, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky, but operations were later resumed.

Operations were halted well after midnight at a third Moscow airport, Vnukovo.

Russia's Defence Ministry said air defence units had destroyed 46 Ukrainian drones over a period extending four hours in the evening, including the single drone over the Moscow region.

Most of the others were downed in areas near Ukraine, including 31 over Bryansk region and 10 over Crimea, a region annexed by Russia since 2014.

(Reporting by Ronald Popeski; Editing by Sandra Maler and Matthew Lewis)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In World

U.S. dollar ticks up
Chinese EVs gain momentum in Portugal, led by BYD
Tesla overtaken by BYD in global EV sales in 2025
Fuel spill cuts water supply to 11,000 residents in central Romania
Chinese plug-in model tops Israel's car sales in 2025
Hiker killed in rare suspected mountain lion attack in Colorado
US judge orders man accused of planting pipe bombs in Washington to remain in custody
Russian strike on Ukraine's Kharkiv kills two, injures 25, Moscow denies attack took place
Turkish Airlines announces 2.33-bln-USD investment to build world's largest cargo terminal
Chinese medical team donates supplies to Sierra Leone's orphans

Others Also Read