Ukrainian drone wave grounds flights, kills one near Moscow
MOSCOW
Ukraine unleashed more than 140 drones on Russia overnight, officials said Tuesday, resulting in the death of a woman near Moscow, grounding flights, and activating air defenses in several parts of the country.
Russia's Defense Ministry stated that it had shot down 144 Ukrainian drones overnight—"72 UAVs over Bryansk region, 20 over Moscow region, 14 over Kursk region, 13 over Tula region," and 25 more over five other parts of the country.
Moscow regional governor Andrey Vorobyov reported in a Telegram post that a 46-year-old woman had been killed and several people were wounded in the strikes. However, an earlier statement mentioning the death of a 9-year-old child was "not confirmed," he added.
As a result of the attack, four airports servicing Moscow—including major hubs Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo—had canceled or delayed flights on Tuesday morning, according to state media.
In Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, "the enemy carried out a massive terrorist attack," regional Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said on Telegram, adding, "there were no casualties or damage, all attacks were repelled."
Ukraine and Russia routinely conduct nighttime drone attacks on each other's territory.
Advances in east
The latest wave of drones came as Moscow continued to claim incremental gains in Ukraine's east more than 30 months into its offensive, while Kiev's forces pressed their incursion into Russia's region of Kursk.
Russia on Monday said its forces had captured another Ukrainian village, Memryk, seen as a stepping stone to the Kiev-held logistics hub of Pokrovsk, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) away.
Pokrovsk lies at the intersection of a key road that supplies Ukrainian troops and towns across the eastern front and has long been a target for Moscow's army.
Kiev launched its Kursk offensive on August 6, aiming to force Russia to redeploy troops pressing forward in the east, but Moscow has appeared to intensify its attacks there.
Moscow has also maintained its own aerial attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, including targeting key energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
Three Russian drones were shot down above Ukraine's Sumy overnight, the regional military administration said early Tuesday, while air defenses were also activated around Kiev.
The military administration in the capital later stated there were "no consequences after the Russian UAV attack."
United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk condemned Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities on Monday.
Ukraine's population was enduring "ongoing attacks by the Russian Federation striking civilian facilities like hospitals, schools, and supermarkets, and repeated waves of targeting of energy infrastructure," Turk told the U.N. Human Rights Council.
"I fear for Ukrainians this coming winter," he said.
