Russia and Ukraine have carried out the largest drone attacks their own war has experienced to date, in an unprecedented escalation of the conflict. Moscow’s Ministry of Defense said that it intercepted 84 Ukrainian drones over six regions. Many of them were heading towards Russia’s capital. Several flights have been diverted from three of Moscow’s major airports.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 145 drones over the country Saturday night. Most of them were intercepted, but the scale of attacks was described as huge. A massive attack on Moscow was the biggest so far to hit the Russian capital since the war began.
Damage and Casualties in Moscow and Ukraine
In Moscow, five were reported injured in the districts of Ramenskoye, Kolomna, and Domodedovo, where severe impact was caused. Four homes were set on fire by falling debris from drones in Ramenskoye. According to Russian officials, 34 drones were shot down over the town, which experienced a fatal drone strike in September.
Meanwhile, at least two people were injured in a Russian drone attack that ignited fires in nearby buildings in the Odesa region of southern Ukraine. Despite the attacks, Ukrainian forces shot down 62 Russian drones, with 67 more lost, and 10 heading back toward Russian territory.
Territorial gains and military losses
Institute data says that Russia captured its largest territory in October since March 2022. Still, according to UK Army Chief Sir Tony Radakin data, Russian forces suffered their highest casualties; on average, they have lost 1,500 dead and injured every day in October.
Trump’s Possible Position in the War’s End
Speculation is growing amid ongoing conflict about how US president-elect Donald Trump might approach the war. Trump had boasted he could bring it to an end “in a day” during his election campaign but has not detailed how that might be achieved. Former Trump adviser Bryan Lanza said the new administration may focus on peace talks rather than forcing Ukraine to take back territory. But a Trump spokesperson quickly cooled down any perception that the president-elect condoned Lanza’s remarks, cautioning that “Lanza does not speak for him.”
The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, sent both positive signals coming from the Trump administration, emphasizing that Trump means to be a peacemaker, not to beat Russia. Trump has already called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and confirmed his sources who say the conversation lasted around 30 minutes.
(Includes inputs from online sources)
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