Ukraine launches hundreds of drones at Russia as peace talks begin – Washington Examiner
Ukraine has launched its largest drone strike on Russia, targeting Moscow with hundreds of drones. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 337 drones, 91 of which where over the capital. This attack, described by Moscow officials as unprecedented, resulted in two fatalities and injuries to 18 individuals. Several buildings and four major airports in Moscow temporarily suspended operations during the assault.
This military action coincided with preliminary peace talks involving U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia, aimed at assessing what concessions might be acceptable for ukraine in negotiations with Russia. The Kremlin suspects that the timing of the drone strikes could disrupt these talks, although no formal negotiations are currently underway. In response to the attacks, a Russian lawmaker suggested potential retaliatory action against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine also faced attacks from Russian missiles and drones.
The escalation of hostilities comes after recent heavy bombardments of ukraine, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to threaten new sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire is achieved.
Ukraine launches hundreds of drones at Russia as peace talks begin
Hundreds of Ukrainian drones hit Russia during Kyiv’s biggest-ever attack on Moscow.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced it intercepted 337 drones during the Ukrainian attack early on Tuesday morning, including 91 over Moscow. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin described it as the “largest” Ukrainian drone attack ever on Russia’s capital, which is the country’s biggest city with roughly 9 million residents.
The strikes, which killed two workers at a meat-packing facility and injured 18 others, came hours ahead of preliminary peace talks brokered by the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting with his Ukrainian counterparts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, “to get a general sense of what concessions are in the realm of the possible for [Ukraine] and what they would need in return” from Russia.
Seven apartments in a residential building were damaged, and 12 people, including three children, were evacuated from their flats during the strikes, per Sobyanin. Four of Russia’s largest airports —Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky — suspended flights during the strikes, as did airports in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions to the east of Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it is “possible” the Ukrainian strikes were meant to disrupt the Jeddah peace meeting on Tuesday, according to ABC News.
“There are no negotiations yet. So far, the Americans, in their own words, are trying to understand how ready Ukraine is for peace talks. There are no negotiations yet, so there is nothing to disrupt here yet,” he said. “But the fact that it is possible to spoil the emerging trend, yes.”
Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov, a leading Russian lawmaker, suggested a retaliatory strike against Kyiv using the “Oreshnik” hypersonic missile could be forthcoming, according to state-run media. The Oreshnik is a new, advanced experimental type of intermediate-range ballistic missile that travels to its target at 10 times the speed of sound. It was used by Russia for the first time in November 2024.
Kartapolov said he believed using the Oreshnik against Ukraine could be “useful,” although he added that the final decision would be up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine was also hit by a Russian ballistic missile and 126 drones early on Tuesday morning.
Many drones failed to meet their targets, but there was one apparent casualty based on a CNN review of released figures.
US DEMANDING UKRAINE TRADE LAND FOR PEACE, AS TALKS WITH RUBIO OPEN IN SAUDI ARABIA
When Russia hit Ukraine with massive missile and drone strikes earlier this month, President Donald Trump threatened to put new tariffs and sanctions on Moscow until a ceasefire is reached. The March 7 strikes, using nearly 70 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 attack drones, targeted Ukraine’s energy and gas infrastructure.
“Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale banking sanctions, sanctions, and tariffs on Russia until a cease fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,” Trump said in a Truth Social post responding to the bombardment. “To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late.”
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