The Russian Ministry of Defense said on January 5 that Ukraine has targeted Moscow with drones every day since the beginning of 2026, a move considered an escalation compared to previous scattered attacks on the Russian capital.
According to data released by this agency, as of midnight on January 4, Russian air defense systems had destroyed 57 drones in the Moscow region out of a total of 437 shot down on Russian territory.
Daily activities show a clear change in the attack model, unlike the previous period, when Moscow was only targeted in batches, often associated with symbolic or signal-generating moments.
Mr. Sergei Sobyanin, Mayor of Moscow, has repeatedly announced interceptions since New Year's Eve, but did not provide details.
The Ukrainian side has not made immediate comments. Previously, Kiev increasingly used long-range drones to attack targets deep in Russian territory.
Ukraine said that such strikes are aimed at disrupting military logistics, energy infrastructure, increasing costs for Russia's conflict efforts, and responding to Russian missile and drone attacks in the nearly 4-year conflict.
Russia usually only announces the number of drones shot down by air defense, does not specify the total number of drones launched, and rarely fully discloses the extent of damage if there are no civilian casualties or civilian targets hit.
According to the Russian Federal Aviation Administration Rosaviatsiya, the attacks forced many airports in Moscow and dozens of other airports nationwide to temporarily close for safety reasons.
The interruption took place right during the New Year and Christmas holidays of the Orthodox Church lasting until January 9, when the demand for domestic and international travel of Russians increased.
Calculations by the state news agency RIA show that last week, Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed at least 1,548 Ukrainian drones on Russian territory and the Crimean peninsula.
