Ukraine launches more than 430 drones towards Moscow

Ukrainian drones target Moscow

Ukraine launched more than 430 drones towards Moscow overnight, with most intercepted while en route and almost 40 brought down near the Russian capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said today.

"Overnight, up to 6 am (4 am in mainland Portugal), more than 430 drones were launched towards the Moscow region. Most were neutralised by air defences along the way, with 36 enemy drones shot down near Moscow," Sobyanin wrote on the Telegram messaging platform.

The Moscow mayor later reported that three more drones had been downed, taking the total to 39.

Moscow’s four international airports were forced to halt operations temporarily because of the aerial threat.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, air-defence forces "intercepted and neutralised" a total of 452 fixed-wing Ukrainian drones.

Zelensky says the war will be decided in the sky

The previous day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the war with Russia would be settled through "a battle in the sky", referring to drone attacks and stressing that the approach is intended to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"When it is not one hundred but one thousand drones flying towards Moscow, [Putin] will understand. When he begins to feel it personally, when he starts seeing it with his own eyes (...), his advisers will urge him to take refuge somewhere beyond the Urals. The further Putin moves away from Moscow, the closer the end of the war will be," Zelensky threatened, hours after Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone assault on Kyiv.

NATO summit in Ankara to discuss support for Ukraine

The Ukrainian president will attend the NATO summit beginning today in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, where three issues will be addressed: defence investment, strengthening industrial production and support for Ukraine.

The meeting is taking place amid tensions between Europe and the United States over the reduced commitment of US President Donald Trump’s administration to the Atlantic Alliance. The administration argues that European allies should take on a greater role in defending the "Old Continent".

On Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Alliance members are expected to confirm a commitment of around €140 billion in military support for Kyiv over two years, largely using funds that had already been approved.