In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict, Ukraine struck the Moscow region on Tuesday in a series of drone attacks, resulting in one civilian casualty and widespread destruction. The strike, which targeted residential areas, led to the rerouting of nearly 50 flights from the Russian capital. According to reports from Reuters, this was Ukraine’s largest drone offensive against Russia since the war’s onset more than two and a half years ago.
Russia, which has frequently used drones and missiles in its relentless assaults on Ukraine—most notably Kyiv—claimed it had intercepted at least 20 Ukrainian drones over the Moscow region alone. An additional 124 drones were reportedly destroyed across eight other regions, signaling a significant intensification in aerial combat.
Civilian Areas Targeted
Moscow’s population, currently around 21 million, has experienced multiple air raids since the war began, but Tuesday’s attack stands out due to its scale. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the strike, arguing it had no military justification.
“There is no way that nighttime strikes on residential neighborhoods can be associated with military action,” he told reporters. “The Kyiv regime continues to demonstrate its nature. They are our enemies and we must continue the special military operation to protect ourselves from such actions,” Peskov emphasized, continuing Russia’s narrative of the war as a defensive operation.
While Kyiv remained silent about the overnight strike, Ukrainian officials noted that Russia had targeted the country with 46 drones, of which 38 were intercepted and destroyed by Ukrainian defenses.
Western Leaders Respond to Escalation
As the situation on the ground intensifies, Western leaders are stepping in. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday that he, along with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, will travel to Ukraine later this week to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“It’s a critical moment to what is an intense, all-fighting season,” Blinken said.
With Russia continuing to escalate its aggression – aggression against civilians, against critical infrastructure, and, of course, against Ukrainian forces – we see it ramping up its attacks on cities, people, in particular, targeting the energy infrastructure.”
Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure Under Threat
Blinken’s visit comes as Ukraine braces for another winter of Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure. For the last two years, Russian President Vladimir Putin has aimed to weaponize Ukraine’s energy system, striking during the colder months to increase civilian suffering. According to Blinken, this upcoming trip underscores NATO’s and the U.S.’s commitment to ensuring Ukraine can defend itself against such strategies.
It remains unclear what specific issues will be discussed during the Blinken-Lammy visit, but Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal echoed Blinken’s concerns during a briefing on Tuesday. Shmyhal reported that 85% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been fortified to withstand Russian strikes.
Preparing for Winter
Despite these efforts, Ukrainians remain anxious as they prepare for potential energy shortages this winter. Following Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid in March, many citizens have faced intermittent blackouts for months. The Kyiv Independent reported that during those assaults, 80% of the thermal generating capacity of DTEK—Ukraine’s largest private energy company—was damaged or destroyed.
Energy officials warned in June that Ukrainians could have access to electricity for as little as six hours a day during the winter, depending on the state of the grid’s repairs. Shmyhal did not specify how much of the grid has been restored, nor did he comment on how severe the outages may be. Instead, he emphasized the government’s commitment to safeguarding Ukraine’s energy sector.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized the nation’s commitment to bolstering its energy sector ahead of winter. He explained that the Ukrainian government had allocated $461 million to safeguard energy infrastructure, with foreign allies contributing an additional $315 million. These investments highlight the international community’s ongoing support for Ukraine as it braces for further Russian attacks on its power grid.
As winter approaches, the eyes of the world remain fixed on this escalating conflict, with Ukraine’s latest assault on Moscow marking a significant chapter in the war that shows no sign of abating.
