Moscow, 05 January (H.S.): Ukrainian forces unleashed a barrage of dozens of drones targeting the Russian capital on Sunday, prompting temporary shutdowns of three major Moscow airports—Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky—between 1300 GMT and 1400 GMT to avert mid-air collisions, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia announced.

Spokesman Artem Korenyako justified the hour-long restrictions on Telegram as essential to ensure flight safety, with partial operations resuming shortly thereafter amid cascading delays affecting nearly 200 flights during Russia's protracted New Year-Orthodox Christmas holiday rush through January 9.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported air defenses neutralizing at least 27 incoming drones—some crashing as debris in the region—marking the second consecutive day of intensified assaults following Saturday's interceptions of 21 UAVs that similarly triggered Carpet emergency protocols.

Ukraine offered no immediate confirmation, mirroring its strategy amid the nearly four-year war ignited by Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion, where Kyiv has increasingly mirrored Moscow's drone swarms despite enduring nightly barrages.

Belgorod Border CarnageIn a stark escalation, Belgorod region's governor Vyacheslav Gladkov detailed a separate Ukrainian drone strike Sunday on a civilian family vehicle, slaying one adult and injuring two others—including a four-year-old child—highlighting the conflict's spillover into non-military targets near Ukraine's frontier.

Russian defenses also repelled drones over Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, Rostov, Tula, Kaluga, Voronezh, Lipetsk, and Moscow oblasts, per the Defense Ministry, with emergency crews clearing wreckage sites devoid of reported casualties in the capital proper.

Broader Airspace Disruptions

The assaults forced Carpet activation across scores of Russian aerodromes, compounding disruptions during peak travel; Vnukovo, Moscow's second-busiest hub, bore the brunt with widespread delays, while Zhukovsky—handling military charters—swiftly recovered.

This follows a pattern of reciprocal drone warfare, with Russia claiming over 130 UAVs downed nationwide Saturday night into Sunday, underscoring Ukraine's evolving long-range strike capacity amid Western-supplied munitions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar