Moscow Faces Largest Drone Attack in Two Years as 600 Drones Target Russian Capital
MOSCOW: Hundreds of drones attacked Moscow and its neighbouring regions during the night of August 15–16 but Russian air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed a large proportion of them in mid-air.
In total, 600 drones were launched against Moscow from the night of 15 August until 6.30 AM on 16 August, with 201 of them being destroyed in the Moscow region alone, according to the mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin.
Emergency and special services were deployed to areas where the drone debris landed, and the situation is being closely monitored, Sergei Sobyanin said. The latest attack is the biggest drone attack on Moscow in the last two years, according to statistics.
Previous Large-Scale Attacks
This escalation follows a series of heavy aerial assaults in recent months:
- July 6–7: Over 430 drones were reported, with 36 heading directly toward Moscow.
- July 19–20: Over 400 drones targeted the capital region, with 85 destroyed near Moscow.
- July 27–28: More than 390 drones advanced toward the Moscow region.
- July 17–18: Over 370 drones were recorded.
- July 11–12: Over 300 drones were destroyed, including 45 advancing on Moscow.
- July 4: Over 200 drones flew toward the capital within a 24-hour period.
- March 2025: A major wave of hundreds of drones was intercepted across various regions, with 74 shot down near Moscow.
The latest wave of 600 drones heading toward Moscow marks the largest attempted aerial assault on the Russian capital in two years. Air defense systems remained fully active across Moscow and the surrounding region, while emergency response teams continue clearing debris from impact sites.