Ukrainian drones target Moscow, trigger airport closures, Russia says
Russian air defense systems shot down 132 Ukrainian drones overnight on Jan. 3-4, including 11 intercepted over Moscow Oblast, the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed.
Russian air defense assets shot down three drones bound for Moscow, according to the Russian ministry.
Emergency crews are working to clear debris at the crash sites, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said. No casualties or damage have been reported.
Moscow's Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports introduced temporary flight restrictions during the attack, according to Russia's federal aviation agency.
Ukrainian drones were also shot down over Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, Rostov, Belgorod, Tula, Kaluga, Voronezh, Moscow and Lipetsk oblasts, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the reports at the time of publication.
Ukraine regularly launches drone attacks against Russian military and industrial facilities in the rear to undermine Russia's ability to wage its all-out war.
While drone attacks on Moscow have been recorded on several instances and often brought about temporary airport closures, the capital is also well-defended against aerial threats.
Ukraine reportedly attacked the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast and a number of Russian military facilities in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine on Dec. 28.
