Ukrainian drones shot down near Moscow as Russia attacks Kyiv, official claims

Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russian air defense units intercepted a dozen drones en route to Moscow overnight on May 25, according to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin.

Sobyanin's claims came as Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for the second night in a row.

Twelve drones flying towards Moscow have been shot down by air defense thus far, Sobyanin said, updating the count with reports throughout the night. Emergency workers were dispatched to the scene. No casualties or damage have been reported at the time of publication.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify Sobyanin's claims. Ukraine rarely comments on reports of drone strikes on Russian soil.  

Amid the reported attack, restrictions were introduced at Moscow's Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports, as well as Russia's Kaluga airport, according to the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya).

As Russia's war drags on and the Kremlin has openly said it opposes a ceasefire, Ukraine has stepped up its drone attacks on Russian soil. In the past week, Russia has claimed that mass Ukrainian drone strikes targeted Moscow and other regions several nights in a row.

Ukraine regularly attacks Russian military infrustructure with drones. The recent surge in drone strikes aims to disrupt airport operations, overwhelm air defenses, and make the war visible to the Russian public.