.svg)
Russian air defence systems intercepted a wave of Ukrainian drones aimed at Moscow in a second consecutive night of aerial attacks, prompting the temporary closure of all airports in the capital, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported via social media that at least 19 drones approaching from multiple directions were destroyed before reaching the city. The incident caused no significant damage or injuries.
Simultaneously, Russia launched fresh strikes on Ukraine’s Odesa region, killing at least one person. Oleh Kiper, the regional governor, stated that residential areas were hit, igniting several fires.
In Kharkiv, a separate attack struck the Barabashovo market, sparking a large blaze. Approximately 90 shops were damaged, with 20 completely destroyed. No casualties were reported. This market, among the largest in Ukraine and Europe, had previously been targeted by a Russian strike in March 2022.
The renewed Ukrainian drone offensive coincides with Moscow’s preparations to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. President Vladimir Putin last week announced a three-day ceasefire from May 8–10 to mark the occasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the Russian ceasefire as meaningless and instead called for a broader, unconditional 30-day truce, aligning with a U.S.-backed proposal from March.
Meanwhile, Russian-linked Telegram channels — Bazaar, Mash, and Shot — reported that one drone struck an apartment building near a major roadway in southern Moscow, shattering windows but causing no casualties.
Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, confirmed that all four of Moscow’s airports suspended operations for several hours to ensure safety. Some regional airports were also temporarily shut down.
On Tuesday alone, Russia’s air defence destroyed four more Ukrainian drones near the capital, with no reported damage or injuries.
Since the beginning of the war over three years ago, Ukraine has launched several drone strikes on Moscow. One of the deadliest occurred in March, claiming three lives.
In Russia’s southwest Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine, at least 18 Ukrainian drones were intercepted, local authorities reported early Tuesday. The attack caused minor damage to a non-residential building and a children’s playground, according to the regional governor.
Further south in the Penza region, Russian air defences shot down 10 drones with no reported injuries or destruction, officials said via Telegram.
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched a multi-pronged assault in the western Russian region of Kursk, targeting a power substation near the border. Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein said the substation strike disrupted electricity in Rylsk—a town of about 15,000 people located roughly 30 miles from Ukraine. Two teenagers were injured in the attack, which damaged two transformers.
In a Telegram statement, Khinshtein accused Ukraine of targeting civilians, describing the strikes as acts of “an enemy in agony.”
The Kursk regional administration also announced the evacuation of residents living near the border, citing an increase in the frequency of Ukrainian drone attacks over the past day.
According to Russian military bloggers, Ukrainian forces launched a ground assault on Monday, breaking through the border with missile fire, breaching minefields with specialized vehicles, and advancing with armoured units.
"Bridges were blown up overnight with rocket fire, and armoured groups launched an attack in the morning," wrote the Telegram channel “RVvoenkor.” "Mine-clearing vehicles opened routes through the minefields, allowing armoured vehicles carrying troops to advance. A fierce battle is ongoing at the border."
However, the prominent Russian military blog Rybar claimed on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces attempting to push into the Tyotkino area in Kursk were ultimately repelled.
Ukraine had previously launched a surprise offensive into the Kursk region in August 2024 in an effort to shift momentum as Russian forces gained ground in the broader conflict. Kyiv had also hoped the offensive would stretch Russian defences and improve Ukraine’s bargaining power in negotiations.
Last month, Russia’s top general claimed that Ukrainian troops had been driven out of Kursk, ending what he described as the largest military incursion into Russian territory since World War II. He added that Russia was now establishing a buffer zone in Ukraine’s Sumy region.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied that Ukrainian forces have been fully ousted, stating that Kyiv's military continues to operate in both the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia.
