Moscow is targeted as Ukraine and Russia trade mass drone attacks

Russia and Ukraine have carried out the largest drone attacks against each other since the start of the war.

Russia's Defense Ministry said it intercepted 84 Ukrainian planes in six regions, including some approaching Moscow, forcing flights to be diverted from the capital's three main airports.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched at least 145 drones aimed at all parts of the country on Saturday night, most of which were shot down.

These crimes come at a time when it is expected that the president-elect of America, Donald Trump, will put pressure on both sides to end the conflict.

Ukraine's attempted strike on Moscow was also its biggest attack on the capital since the start of the war, and was described as “massive” by the region's governor.

Most of the drones were shot down in Ramenskoye, Kolomna and Domodedovo regions, officials said.

In Ramenskoye, southwest of Moscow, five people were injured and four houses burned by falling debris, the Russian Defense Ministry said. It added that 34 drones were shot down over the city.

In September, a woman was killed in a drone attack on Ramenskoye. In May of last year, two drones were destroyed near the Kremlin in central Moscow and there were several drone attacks in the business district of Moscow City.

In Ukraine, at least two people were injured after a drone crashed in Odesa region. Images showed flames rising from other buildings, and the damage that followed.

Ukraine's air force said 62 Iranian-made Russian jets were shot down, and 67 were “lost”. Another 10 left Ukrainian airspace for Russia, as well as neighboring Belarus and Moldova, it added.

More strikes were reported on Monday night, with Russia claiming to have destroyed 13 Ukrainian aircraft near Kursk and Belgorod regions.

Meanwhile, five people were killed in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, following an airstrike that left residential buildings burning, according to regional governor Vitaliy Kim.

He said a 45-year-old woman was also injured and is in hospital.

It comes as the Russian military is reported to have gained its largest area in October since March 2022, according to an analysis of data by the Institute for the Study of War carried out by the AFP news agency.

However, Sir Tony Radakin, the UK's defense chief, told the BBC on Sunday on Laura Kuenssberg's show that Russia. it had the worst month of casualties since the start of the war.

Russian troops suffered an average of 1,500 dead and wounded “every day” in October, he said.

There has been much speculation about how Trump will deal with the conflict since he won the US election.

The president-elect has always said during his election campaign that he can end the war “in a day”, but he has not yet given details on how he will do that.

Trump's former adviser, Bryan Lanza, told the BBC that incoming administration will focus on achieving peace rather than allowing Ukraine to acquire Russian territory.

In response, Trump's spokesman distanced himself from the president-elect's comments, saying Mr Lanza “doesn't speak for him”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov spoke to state media on Sunday about the “positive” signs from the administration entering the US.

He said that Trump spoke during the election campaign about wanting peace and not the desire to make Russia defeated.

Trump has spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since winning the election, with a source telling the BBC that the conversation lasted “about half an hour”.

Earlier Zelensky warned against giving land to Russia and said that without American help, Ukraine will lose the war.

In his usual evening address to Ukrainians on Sunday, Zelensky said “the only way to achieve lasting peace” is for power and dialogue to work together.