A deadly wave of drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine has intensified just days before Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade, with casualties reported in multiple cities and air travel briefly halted in the Russian capital.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials confirmed that a Russian drone strike on Kyiv killed two people and injured eight others.
Debris from the downed drones hit a residential building in the Shevchenkivsky district, prompting emergency services to respond. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that four of the injured were hospitalised, while two bodies were recovered during rescue operations.
The overnight assault marked one of several Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine. On the same night, another Russian drone strike wounded four civilians in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian city, according to Ukraine’s National Police.
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Meanwhile, in a swift retaliation or parallel escalation, Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow in a rare direct challenge to the Russian heartland. Russian officials claimed their air defense systems successfully intercepted nine drones aimed at the capital.
However, the attempted strike caused temporary disruption, forcing the closure of Sheremetyevo Airport — one of Moscow’s major international hubs — as well as flight restrictions at Kazan Airport. Operations at Sheremetyevo resumed by 5:30 a.m. local time, according to Russia’s aviation authority.
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The crossfire of drone warfare comes just before foreign dignitaries are set to arrive in Moscow for Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, commemorating the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany.
The Kremlin recently proposed a temporary three-day ceasefire to coincide with the event — a move Ukraine has rejected, calling it a strategic ploy to protect the parade rather than a genuine effort to de-escalate hostilities.
As the conflict stretches into another grueling year, these latest drone exchanges underscore the increasing reach and volatility of modern warfare, where no capital city — be it Kyiv or Moscow — is entirely shielded from attack.
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