Ukraine conducts biggest strike on Moscow with 34 drone attacks, Russia responds

Europe, News November 11, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

3 minute read

Russia and Ukraine launched record-breaking drone attacks against each other overnight on November 9, 2024, marking one of the largest air assaults in the ongoing conflict. Ukraine said that its forces fired at least 34 drones toward Moscow while Russia unleashed 145 drones in response.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that a total of 32 drones were shot down over the Russian capital’s outskirts. Russia’s aviation authority said flights were briefly grounded at major international airports including Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo.

No one was hurt in Moscow itself, according to Sobyanin, although Russian channels on the messaging app Telegram carried eyewitness reports of drone debris setting fire to suburban homes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported, “Last night, Russia launched a record 145 Shaheds and other strike drones against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy announced on social media, urging Western allies to bolster Kyiv’s defense systems to counter Russian aggression.

In response, Ukrainian forces launched their own record drone assault against Moscow, with Russian officials reporting that air defenses intercepted 34 Ukrainian drones aimed at the Russian capital.

This week, our air defense forces have been working day and night to protect Ukraine’s skies from Russian terror. Last night, Russia launched a record 145 Shaheds and other strike drones against Ukraine. Throughout the week, Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs,… pic.twitter.com/ENhfkUZISX
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 10, 2024

The escalation comes at a time when diplomatic and policy shifts loom. Russia has made its most significant territorial gains since early 2022, with Moscow’s troops capturing new ground in eastern Ukraine. Moscow’s Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday that Russian forces seized control of a village in Ukraine’s eastern region.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces’ recent drone offensive targeting Moscow demonstrates Kyiv’s resolve to continue counter-offensives despite facing record assaults on its own cities. The overnight drone strike on Moscow marked the largest attempt on the capital since the onset of the conflict.

Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov described the attack as “massive,” forcing the temporary closure of three major airports and leaving a 52-year-old woman injured with burns when a drone struck her village southeast of the capital. Additionally, fires were reported in multiple suburban homes as drone debris ignited buildings in various locations around Moscow.

Ukraine’s ability to resist Russian advances relies heavily on Western aid, particularly from the United States, which has provided billions in military support. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that any reduction in U.S. support could be catastrophic for Ukraine’s defense.

Following Donald Trump’s election, Zelenskyy cautioned against any potential concessions to Putin, stating, “there should be no concessions” as appeasement would only embolden Russia, potentially spurring further aggression.

^{Smoke and fire rise from a residential building following a Ukrainian drone attack, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the Ramenskoye district, near Moscow, Russia November 10, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. (Image Credit: Reuters)}

While Kyiv remains the primary target of Russia’s drone and missile strikes, the recent attack on Moscow underscores the growing reach and frequency of Ukrainian drone offensives. These developments reflect the rapid evolution of the war, with both sides relying increasingly on drones for both offensive and defensive maneuvers, a shift that has intensified the conflict’s impact on civilian areas and infrastructure.