Ukrainian drones reportedly attack Moscow for second night in a row

Moscow came under drone attack for the second consecutive night, with explosions also reported in several other Russian oblasts, local Telegram channels and the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on July 18.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said four Ukrainian drones were shot down on approach to the capital, with blasts heard near Zvenigorod, Istra, and Zelenograd — suburban districts and satellite towns located to the west and northwest of central Moscow.

Residents reported the sounds of explosions in multiple parts of the greater Moscow area overnight, according to Russian Telegram channels.

Sobyanin did not provide details on possible damage or casualties as a result of the attacks.

Flight operations were temporarily suspended at multiple airports, including Moscow's largest ones — Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky — as well as Nizhny Novgorod's Strigino and Kaluga's Grabtsevo Airport. All airports have since resumed operations.

In Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, at least five explosions were reported, with Russian news outlet Shot saying air defenses targeted drones near an industrial zone with munitions production facilities. Additional blasts were heard near Oryol, the channel said.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 73 fixed-wing Ukrainian drones overnight, including 10 over Moscow Oblast.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.

The latest wave follows a series of reported Ukrainian drone attacks across Russia on July 17, including strikes on Moscow, St. Petersburg, Belgorod, Voronezh, and other oblasts. Ukraine has not commented on the overnight drone activity.