Unprecedented Drone Strike Hits Moscow: Casualties and Damage Reported

In the early hours of March 11, 2025, Moscow faced its most significant drone assault since the onset of the conflict, as reported by city officials. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that between 4:30 and 7:00 AM local time, Russian air defense forces successfully intercepted 69 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as they approached the capital. Despite the effectiveness of the defenses, the incident resulted in falling debris that caused substantial damage and casualties across the Moscow region.

Tragically, one fatality was reported in Domodedovo, where a 38-year-old security guard at the Miratorg distribution center lost his life. The guard was in the parking lot next to his vehicle when debris from a downed drone ignited a fire, destroying 20 cars. In addition to this loss, three others sustained injuries of varying severity and were promptly transported to hospitals for medical treatment.

The drone assault led to significant destruction in residential areas. In Ramenskoye, debris struck an apartment building on Severnoye Shosse, impacting floors 19 through 22 and damaging at least seven apartments. Emergency services quickly evacuated twelve residents, including three children, as authorities assessed the scale of the damage and provided aid. Further incidents were reported in the village of Sapronovo, where debris crashed into the upper floors of the residential complex “Kvartal Zapadny,” and in Misaylovo, where the roof of “Prigorod Lesnoye” caught fire. Another drone fragment damaged the upper floors of a high-rise on Domodedovskaya Street, although no casualties were reported in these cases.

Calls for assistance flooded in from various cities across the Moscow region, including Kolomna, Zaraysk, Serebryanye Prudy, Serpukhov, and Bronnitsy, illustrating the widespread impact of the attack. Governor Vorobyov emphasized that regional authorities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations and law enforcement, are responding swiftly to address incidents and ensure public safety.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the night’s operations resulted in the destruction of a total of 337 drones, which they attributed to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Notably, 91 of these UAVs were intercepted over the Moscow region, marking a record number of interceptions in recent years.

In response to this unprecedented threat, Moscow’s airports enacted the “Carpet” plan, temporarily restricting civil aviation flights to safeguard passengers. Additionally, a UAV alert regime was declared in Tatarstan, indicating a broader geographical expansion of the threat posed by drone warfare, and highlighting the escalating tensions within the ongoing conflict.