Russian air defenses intercepted 19 Ukrainian drones over the Moscow region in a six-hour period on Saturday evening, amid reports of a major drone assault on the Russian capital.
According to official statements from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the 19 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down between 16:00 and 22:30 local time. No casualties or significant damage were reported in the Moscow region.
Russian sources, however, estimate that approximately 80 drones took part in the operation. These figures, along with reported flight routes, are described as highly approximate and have not been independently verified.
🇺🇦21:30 | 03/01
Approximate flight routes of our UAVs:
🔴Red arrow – directions of movement of strike UAVs;
According to Russian sources, around 80 drones were reported, however these estimates, along with the routes, are highly approximate.
At the same time, a massive UAV… pic.twitter.com/zsRqz6TW14
— DroneBomber (@DrnBmbr) January 3, 2026
The attack marks one of the largest reported drone incursions toward Moscow since the beginning of the full-scale war. While Russian authorities maintain that all threats were neutralized before reaching central Moscow, the incident triggered air-raid alerts and temporary restrictions at the capital’s major airports.
Ukrainian officials have not officially commented on the operation. Kyiv has previously stated that strikes on Russian territory are aimed at military and infrastructure targets linked to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.