Moscow Experiences One of Largest Drone Attacks in Two Years

© ООО «Региональные новости»

An attempted drone attack on Moscow and its surrounding region, which took place on the evening of July 17 and into the early hours of July 18, was one of the largest in the past two years, according to an analysis by TASS based on information provided by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

According to the mayor, more than 370 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were launched toward the Moscow region starting at 8:30 PM local time on July 17. The majority of these drones were intercepted and destroyed by Russian air defense systems at long range, while 64 were shot down as they approached Moscow itself.

In terms of scale, this attack falls short of only a few similar incidents in recent years. For example, on the evening of July 6 and into the night of July 7, over 430 drones were directed toward the capital, with 36 being destroyed as they neared Moscow. That assault was the largest in a two-year period.

Another significant attack occurred between the evening of July 11 and the evening of July 12, when Russian air defenses eliminated more than 300 drones, including 45 that were intercepted as they neared the capital.

Additionally, on July 4, Sobyanin reported that over 200 drones had been launched toward the Moscow region within a 24-hour period. On March 11, 2025, he described an attack as "the most massive assault by enemy UAVs on Moscow," noting that 74 drones were destroyed as they neared the city, with hundreds of airborne targets being eliminated at various stages.