Camilla Jessen
An overnight drone barrage sent shockwaves through Moscow.
For the second night in a row, Moscow came under a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks just days before Russia’s planned Victory Day celebrations.
According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, the attacks began in the early hours of May 6, with at least 19 drones intercepted and destroyed over the capital and its outskirts.
“The attack came in several waves and lasted from 1:00 to 2:30 a.m.,” Sobyanin told The Moscow Times.
While there were no officially confirmed casualties, debris from one downed drone struck a residential building near the Kashirskaya metro station, 11 kilometers from the Kremlin.
The shockwave shattered windows on upper floors and in a nearby flower shop. Emergency crews, including ambulances and fire trucks, were quickly dispatched, though Sobyanin maintained that “there is no serious damage or casualties.”
Airspace Disruptions
The drone assault caused disruption to civilian infrastructure. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) imposed temporary flight restrictions at all four major airports serving Moscow — Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo.
From 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., no flights landed or took off, forcing 34 incoming aircraft to divert to alternate airfields.
The Russian Defense Ministry later reported that a total of 105 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across 11 regions. Beyond the 19 in the capital region, 32 drones were shot down in Bryansk, 22 in Voronezh, and others scattered across Penza, Kaluga, Belgorod, and several other oblasts.
This escalation follows a smaller attempted drone strike on May 5, during which four drones were intercepted in Podolsk, just south of Moscow.
The previous large-scale attack took place on March 11, involving 91 drones and resulting in three deaths and 20 injuries.
Tense Lead-Up to Victory Day as Ceasefire Proposal Rejected
The timing of the drone strikes is particularly sensitive.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently declared a unilateral ceasefire from May 8 to 11, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky swiftly rejected the proposed three-day ceasefire, calling instead for a 30-day truce and warning of potential false-flag operations by Russia.
“We do not know what Russia will do on these dates… arson, explosions, and so on — and then blame us,” Zelensky stated.
His comments drew an immediate response from former Russian President and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, who labeled Zelensky’s words a “verbal provocation.”
Medvedev added, “In the event of a real provocation on Victory Day, no one can guarantee that May 10 will come in Kiev.”