Ukraine reportedly launched at least 337 drones into Russia on Tuesday in the largest-yet drone attack of the Moscow-Kyiv conflict, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
It came just before US and Ukrainian delegations were scheduled to meet for negotiation discussions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday.
At least two died in the massive attack, which Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said called the “largest-ever” on the Russian capital, according to Russian state-run media outlet TASS.
Flights have been temporarily restricted in and out of six Russian airports, including four near Moscow. Trains were also paused in the capital city due to the drone strikes, according to local media outlets.
Ukrainian officials have yet to comment on the Russian report.
Russia set the previous drone-attack record a little over two weeks ago, when it launched 267 drones at Ukraine in a single night on Feb. 23.
As the Trump administration pushes for a cease-fire in the conflict, Kyiv has indicated it would be open to one based in the air and at sea.
However, it is likely to frustrate administration officials who have been pushing Ukraine to stop attacking its aggressor.
National security adviser Mike Waltz on Wednesday cut off US intelligence sharing with Kyiv, citing a desire to stop its attacks into Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated no desire for any cease-fire, regardless of the domain.
Roughly 126 of the Ukrainian drones targeted Russia’s Kursk region, which Kyiv has held since launching its bold, first-ever offensive into Russian territory in August.
Ukrainians have been losing significant ground in the region over the past week, losses that experts say were hastened by the US decision to halt intelligence sharing.
Another 91 were downed in the Moscow region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 70 drones were taken down en route to the Russian capital.
It comes after Russia has upped its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Feb. 28.
Since then, Russia has launched more than 1,550 drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs and 80 missiles into Ukraine.
“Ukraine wants peace more than anyone – we have been seeking it since the very first moment of this war,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement a day before the operation. “So why does it continue? Because Russia doesn’t stop its attacks.”
National security experts say the Tuesday attack may represent a response by Kyiv to Moscow’s increased attacks.
“The message from Kyiv — there are consequences and a cost for ballistic missile and drone attacks like the one we saw in recent days,” the Atlantic Council’s Alex Plitsas said early Tuesday in a post to X.
Moscow’s Investigative Committee of Russia “launched a criminal investigation into an act of terrorism with regard to the large-scale drone attack,” according to TASS — though Russia conducts similar attacks each night in Ukraine against civilian infrastructure.
