Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of significantly escalating its campaign of long-range drone strikes, claiming the capital Moscow has been targeted every single day since the start of 2026.
Moscow's Air Defences on High Alert
In a statement released on Sunday, Russia's defence ministry asserted that this marks a sharp increase from the more sporadic attacks seen previously. The ministry provided specific figures, stating that by midnight on Sunday, Russian air defence systems had destroyed 57 drones over the Moscow region alone. This was part of a broader tally of 437 drones reportedly downed over Russian territory.
While Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the claims, Kyiv has consistently stated that its use of drones against targets deep inside Russia is a legitimate military strategy. Ukraine says these strikes are aimed at disrupting military logistics and energy infrastructure, increasing the cost of Moscow's war effort, and responding to relentless Russian missile and drone attacks.
Travel Chaos and Casualties Mount
The alleged drone onslaught caused major disruption during Russia's extended New Year and Orthodox Christmas holiday period, a peak time for domestic travel and tourism. Authorities were forced to temporarily shut three of Moscow's four airports to air traffic, leading to multiple flight delays at hubs like Vnukovo, the city's second-busiest airport.
The human cost of the ongoing exchanges was also reported on Sunday. Local officials in Russian border regions said two people were killed in Ukrainian drone strikes. The governor of Belgorod reported one death and two injuries, including a young child, after a drone hit a car. Another fatality was reported in a village in the Kursk region.
Continued Suffering in Ukraine
On the Ukrainian side, the state emergency service reported that three people were wounded in drone strikes on the Kharkiv region overnight into Sunday. Furthermore, the death toll from a major Russian missile attack on the city of Kharkiv on Friday rose to five after body parts were discovered in the rubble of a damaged building, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
In a separate development, a Ukrainian drone attack reportedly sparked a fire in an industrial zone in Yelets, a town in Russia's Lipetsk region. The regional governor confirmed the incident but reported no casualties. Yelets is home to the Energiya battery plant, a key supplier to Russia's defence industry, which has been targeted by Ukraine in the past.
The claims of daily attacks on Moscow, if accurate, signal a new and more intense phase in the aerial duel between the two nations, now well into its fourth year with no end in sight.
