Russia Indicates Clear Escalation: Ukraine Targets Moscow Daily with Drones

Data published by the Russian Ministry of Defense revealed that Ukraine has targeted Moscow with drones on a daily basis since the beginning of 2026. This marks a significant escalation from previous sporadic attacks on the Russian capital.

Operational Details: The Ministry stated on its Telegram channel that, as of midnight yesterday, Russian air defense systems destroyed 57 drones over the Moscow region out of a total of 437 drones downed across Russia. This daily activity indicates a shift from previous patterns, where Moscow was targeted intermittently or on symbolic dates, to a near-regular pressure tactic.

Ukrainian Objectives: While Ukraine has not officially commented, Kyiv has increasingly used long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory. Ukraine maintains that such attacks aim to disrupt military logistics and energy infrastructure, raise the costs of Moscow's war effort, and respond to the repeated Russian missile and drone strikes in a war that has lasted nearly four years.

Impact on Infrastructure: Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported multiple drone interceptions since New Year's Eve. The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) confirmed that these attacks led to temporary closures of Moscow’s airports and dozens of others for safety reasons. This disruption occurs during the Russian New Year and Orthodox Christmas holidays (extending to January 9), one of the busiest periods for domestic and international travel. According to RIA Novosti, Russian air defenses intercepted at least 1,548 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and Crimea in the past week alone.