In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Ukrainian drones struck high-rise apartments on the outskirts of Moscow early Tuesday, killing two people and wounding several others. Both sides described it as the largest drone attack on the Russian capital since the war began three years ago.
The attack occurred just hours before top US and Ukrainian officials were set to meet in Saudi Arabia for talks aimed at resolving the conflict. Kyiv said the strike should push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward accepting a halt to long-range aerial attacks, a proposal Moscow has rejected in the past.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned Ukraine for targeting "residential houses" but claimed Russia only hits military infrastructure—despite frequent Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilian areas. Moscow’s military reported intercepting 337 Ukrainian drones, including 90 over the Moscow Region and 126 in the western Kursk region.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos following the attack. Yevgenia Bakatuyeva, a resident of one of the targeted buildings, said, "We were sleeping when there was an explosion. The children screamed. Somebody was in blood." Another resident, Artyom, admitted he had "only seen such things on TV" and called it "scary in real life."
The attack forced the temporary closure of Moscow’s four main airports. Officials reported six people hospitalized, including a child. Russia’s investigative committee labeled the strikes a "terrorist attack" and launched a criminal investigation.
Ukraine’s National Security Council stated the attack was a "signal to Putin" to consider an aerial ceasefire. As US-Ukraine talks approach, Kyiv hopes to gain Washington’s support for a partial truce. However, Moscow has consistently ruled out ceasefires, and under President Donald Trump, US military aid to Ukraine has been suspended to pressure Kyiv into negotiations.
