Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow for the second consecutive night, temporarily halting flights at four airports in the Russian capital and nine further afield – as it prepares to host a major military parade expected to be attended by world leaders including China’s Xi Jinping.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said in a Telegram post Tuesday that at least 19 Ukrainian drones were destroyed on their approach to the capital overnight, one night after Russian air defenses shot down four drones near the city.
There were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties, but debris from downed drones fell on a major highway, Sobyanin said. Flights were suspended as a safety precaution at four of the capital’s airports, according to Russian aviation authorities.
The devices launched at Moscow were among 105 Ukrainian drones intercepted across Russia overnight, Russia’s defense ministry said on Telegram Tuesday. The latest Ukrainian attack on the Russian capital comes ahead of Xi’s expected arrival in Moscow on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, in which the Chinese leader will take part in Friday’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, according to a Kremlin statement Sunday.