Russia experiences most extensive drone assault by Ukraine
Russia has experienced the most extensive drone assault by Ukraine since the start of the war in 2022, as Kyiv’s drones targeted multiple regions overnight, including Moscow.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, and reported by AL24 on March 11th, their air defence systems “intercepted and destroyed 337 Ukrainian drones, including 91 over the Moscow region and 126 over Kursk,” a region bordering Ukraine. Flights were subsequently restricted out of three airports in Russia.
The unprecedented attack, which so far has killed one person, came hours before scheduled talks in Saudi Arabia between Ukrainian and US representatives, aimed at finding a resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin described it as the “the largest hostile drone attack on Moscow,” which has coincidentally coincided with the upcoming visit of the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), an organization designed to promote peace within the former Soviet sphere of influence.
While daily drone attacks have become routine in the ongoing conflict, the extent of the assault, including its deliberate targeting of the capital, Moscow, this latest attack marks a significant escalation on the front line.
Ukraine has not commented publicly on the strike but has said it shot down a ballistic missile and 70 of 126 drones launched by Russia in a previous overnight attack.
The escalation in the intensity of warfare comes at a time where relations between Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and the White House are particularly frosty following a major bust up in the Oval Office between the leaders which led to the pausing of US military aid to Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said about the meeting in Saudi Arabia that US officials want to hear what kind of concessions Ukraine is prepared to make, saying his team “want to listen to see how far they’re willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want”.
He added, “the most important thing that we have to leave here with is a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared to do difficult things, like the Russians are going to have to do difficult things, to end this conflict or at least pause it in some way, shape or form.”
The White House’s policy on the conflict has come under fire by the international community, particularly Europe, for exploiting Ukraine under the conditions of war whilst refusing to publicly criticise Russian leader, Vladimir Putin.
With Trump’s administration reorienting US foreign policy away from its 70-year long bipolar conflict with Russia, with suggestions of a restoration of bilateral relations, Ukraine is left without its biggest financial donor in its campaign against Russian aggression. The drone attack may be a statement to the Kremlin that Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians will not back down from the war, nor give concessions directly to Russia. Perhaps they are trying to destroy Russian forces whilst hoping Europe develops a plan to help. Either way, it is unlikely that Russia will not respond to an attack on their capital.
AL24, the I paper, Maghrebi
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