In a dramatic escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that Russian air defenses shot down 69 Ukrainian drones targeting the capital in a massive overnight assault on Tuesday morning. Described as the largest drone attack on Moscow in months, the incident unfolded as a Ukrainian delegation prepared to meet America’s top diplomat in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the three-year war with Russia, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two nations.

Sobyanin detailed that at least 11 drones were intercepted over the Ramensky and Domodedovo districts in the Moscow region, with the remainder downed while “flying towards Moscow.” The assault caused significant disruption, with Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov confirming one fatality and three injuries. Seven apartments in a residential building in Ramensky were damaged, and cars in a Domodedovo parking lot were set ablaze, according to Russian state news agencies RIA Novosti and Tass. Sobyanin noted “insignificant” damage to a Moscow building’s roof, where footage revealed a charred facade and peeling exterior.

The attack prompted widespread security measures. The Russian civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, halted flights at four major Moscow airports—Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo—disrupting air travel to and from the capital. Train traffic through Domodedovo railway station was also briefly suspended, local officials reported. Beyond Moscow, authorities downed or jammed drones in adjacent regions like Kaluga, Ryazan, Tula, and Vladimir, as well as Belgorod near the Ukrainian border, signaling a broad offensive.

The timing of the assault, coinciding with diplomatic talks, underscores the intensifying conflict. While Ukraine has not commented officially, the scale of the attack—potentially involving long-range drones like the AN-196 Liutyi with a 1,200-mile range—demonstrates its growing capability to strike deep into Russian territory, raising questions about the war’s trajectory and Russia’s defensive response.