Ukraine’s recent drone assault on Moscow underscores the growing reality that the war, now in its fifth year, is no longer a distant affair for ordinary Russians. Kremlin officials have struggled to maintain the narrative that the conflict does not impact civilian life, as disruptions from internet outages to a scaled-back Victory Day parade become more frequent.
Deadly Weekend Attack
The Russian Defence Ministry reported on Sunday that its air defences intercepted 1,054 Ukrainian drones over the previous 24 hours—one of the highest totals recorded. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that 81 drones were shot down over the capital between late Saturday and early Sunday. The assault killed three people near Moscow, injured 12 others, damaged multiple apartment buildings, and destroyed several private homes.
One drone struck the grounds of a Moscow refinery, though production was unaffected, Sobyanin said. Another hit an oil tank at a storage facility, sparking a fire that sent plumes of black smoke across the area. Several Moscow airports temporarily halted operations, causing dozens of flight delays and diversions. A Ukrainian drone also landed on the premises of Sheremetyevo Airport but caused no damage, according to authorities.
Ukraine’s Expanding Drone Capabilities
Ukraine’s ability to penetrate Moscow’s dense air defence network reflects its growing arsenal of drones and improved tactics. Kyiv has steadily intensified its drone raids, targeting energy facilities and arms factories, but the capital has remained a challenging objective. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, “The Moscow region is the most heavily saturated with Russian air defence systems,” adding that “our long-range capabilities are significantly changing the situation—and, more broadly, the world’s perception of Russia’s war.”
Zelenskyy framed the weekend attack as justified retribution for Russia’s relentless missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. “We are clearly telling the Russians: Their state must end its war,” he said in a social media post. The deadliest strike in Ukraine last week killed 24 people when a Russian missile levelled a nine-storey apartment building in Kyiv.
Scaled-Back Victory Day Parade
The attacks followed a brief US-brokered three-day ceasefire that failed to halt hostilities but paused long-range strikes, allowing Moscow to hold its annual May 9 military parade commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany. Concerns over Ukrainian long-range drone attacks led authorities to reduce the parade’s scale; unlike previous years, no tanks, missiles, or other hardware rolled through Red Square.
After the parade, President Vladimir Putin claimed the war was nearing its end, though he offered no explanation or timeline. He reiterated maximalist demands, including Ukraine’s withdrawal from four regions Moscow has annexed but never fully captured—a condition Kyiv has rejected. US President Donald Trump also suggested last week that the end was “getting very close,” despite stalled US mediation efforts largely suspended since the start of its conflict with Iran.
Growing Domestic Discontent
The Moscow attacks come amid rising tensions in Russia over the war’s mounting costs and increasingly restrictive government policies, which have eroded Putin’s traditionally high approval ratings. Some once-loyal military bloggers and social media influencers have begun openly questioning government decisions.
Authorities have restricted mobile internet and blocked popular messaging apps, citing the need to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks that rely on mobile networks for targeting. Critics condemn these shutdowns as a further tightening of internet control. The restrictions have caused significant business losses and daily disruptions for millions, sparking public outrage. Citizens have filed petitions to the presidential administration and attempted to organise protests, which were quickly suppressed.
As tensions mount, Putin is set to begin a two-day visit to China on Tuesday.
Controlling the Message and Threatening Retaliation
State television stations sought to downplay the Moscow attacks, giving them only brief mentions in some newscasts. Instead, coverage focused on a successful test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile intended to be a key component of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
Several war bloggers highlighted vulnerabilities in air defences exposed by the weekend attack, urging the Kremlin to ramp up strikes on Ukraine and target its government. “The time has come to hit the decision-making centres,” wrote Alexander Kots of the daily Komsomolskaya Pravda. Pro-Kremlin commentator Sergei Markov described waking to explosions as air defences engaged drones, blaming Kyiv’s allies for boosting Ukraine’s drone output. “It was Europe that tried to hit Moscow,” he alleged, warning that such attempts would continue as long as Europe feels safe.
Russian hawks have long pressed the Kremlin to respond to growing Ukrainian attacks by striking Kyiv’s European allies. Last month, the Defence Ministry published a list of European factories it claims are involved in producing drones and components for Ukraine, warning that attacks using European-made drones could lead to “unpredictable consequences.”
When asked by a state TV commentator why Moscow tolerates being “bitten,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that Russia’s nuclear deterrent is meant to fend off threats to its existence.
