Ukraine deployed about 50 drones in a recent attack on Moscow and other Russian regions that Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called one of the largest attacks on the city to date, the War Zone media outlet wrote on Aug. 21, citing comments from Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.
The attack, which occurred overnight on Aug. 20-21, was captured widely on social media. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that the drones were allegedly downed in Moscow Oblast as they were heading towards the capital.
Budanov said the drones targeted a signals intelligence center in the Podolsk district on the outskirts of Moscow, as well as the nearby Ostafyevo airport. Drones also targeted the Millerovo military airbase in Rostov Oblast, located some 850 kilometers (530 miles) to the south, just to the east of Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast.
The extent of the damage caused is unknown, Budanov said.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that 45 drones were downed in total, including 11 in Moscow Oblast.
Budanov said that Ostafyevo "was a deceptive target," adding that "It's an airfield for transport aviation."
Dmytro Basmat
