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In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Ukraine launched a coordinated drone offensive that briefly shut down all four of Moscow's major airports. The Russian aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, confirmed on Telegram that operations at the capital's airports were suspended for several hours "in the interest of flight safety" before resuming later that day.
At least 19 Ukrainian drones were intercepted before reaching Moscow, according to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. He stated that the drones approached "from different directions" and some debris fell onto a major highway leading into the city. No injuries were reported. However, Russian Telegram channels with ties to security agencies, including Mash and Bazaar, claimed a drone struck an apartment block in southern Moscow, shattering windows near a key road.
The attack marked the second consecutive night of drone strikes targeting Moscow. On Monday, Russia's Ministry of Defence said it had downed 26 Ukrainian drones. "Ukraine continues to strike at military and logistical targets critical to Moscow's invasion effort," an unnamed Ukrainian defense official told Reuters.
Simultaneously, the Kursk region along Russia's border witnessed intense fighting. Ukraine claimed to have hit a drone command unit near Tyotkino on Sunday. On Monday, Ukrainian troops reportedly attempted to cross into the region, blowing up bridges and moving through minefields in armoured vehicles. "Heavy fighting is ongoing at the border," wrote Russian military blogger RVvoenkor, adding that mine clearance vehicles were used to pave the way for troop-carrying armour.
Alexander Khinshtein, acting governor of Kursk, confirmed that two teenagers were wounded by shrapnel in an attack that damaged transformers at a Rylsk substation, causing a temporary blackout. Kyiv has not commented on civilian injuries.
The situation follows Ukraine's surprise incursion into Kursk in August 2024, aimed at creating a defensive buffer around Sumy, just 12km from Tyotkino. Although Russia announced it had reclaimed the entire Kursk region in April, Ukraine insists its forces remain active on Russian soil. "Nine months on, our troops maintain a military presence," Ukraine's General Staff declared in a statement Monday.
In Russia's southwestern Voronezh region, 18 drones were reportedly shot down, causing minor damage to a playground and a non-residential building. The Penza region, further southeast, also reported intercepting 10 drones.
While Kyiv remains officially silent on the latest strikes, the broader strategy appears consistent: targeting military infrastructure deep within Russia in retaliation for Moscow's ongoing assaults on Ukrainian cities and energy networks. As the conflict enters its fourth year, the battlefield has expanded far beyond front-line trenches.
