Russia downs over 100 Ukrainian drones amid rising tensions, and stalled peace talks

Russia announced Thursday it had intercepted 105 Ukrainian drones targeting multiple regions, including dozens aimed at Moscow, in one of the largest aerial assaults of the war. 

The escalation comes as international leaders discuss potential paths to peace in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

Despite diplomatic efforts, including pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for a resolution to the three-year war, both sides remain entrenched. Ukraine and its Western backers are calling for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, while Moscow insists that specific conditions be met—conditions Kyiv deems unacceptable.

Drone Onslaught and Air Defense Tensions

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the drones were intercepted overnight, with 35 downed over the Moscow region alone. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed nearly 40 were targeted at the capital, prompting temporary flight suspensions at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports. The total population of Moscow and its surrounding areas exceeds 21 million people.

The previous day, Russia claimed to have neutralized more than 300 drones—an indication of the increasing reliance on unmanned systems by both militaries.

"Air defense systems destroyed and intercepted 105 Ukrainian drones," of which 35 were heading towards Moscow, the ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 128 drones at Ukraine overnight yesterday, of which 112 were shot down, suppressed electronically or lost.

The two countries have deployed drones against one another on a near daily basis since Russia launched its military offensive on Ukraine more than three years ago, but Moscow has rarely been targeted.

Yesterday, flights were halted at multiple Moscow airports, Russia's aviation authority Rosaviatsiya said.

Planes were temporarily grounded at the city's main Sheremetyevo airport as well as at Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky, Rosaviatsiya said on Telegram.

Missile Strikes and Frontline Clashes

In a separate development, Russia reported launching an Iskander-M missile strike on the city of Pokrov in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. The strike allegedly destroyed two U.S.-supplied Patriot missile systems and an AN/MPQ-65 radar unit. While Ukraine’s air force acknowledged an attack in the region, it did not confirm the specifics.

Russia's forces are reportedly advancing in multiple areas along the front lines. Pro-Russian military bloggers claim a breakthrough between Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka in the eastern Donetsk region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged heavy fighting near Pokrovsk in his nightly address but made no mention of Russian gains.

Territorial Control and Geopolitical Standoff

Currently, Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine’s territory. It considers these areas—Crimea (annexed in 2014), and large parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions—as part of the Russian Federation. Ukraine and its Western allies reject these claims outright and maintain the territories remain sovereign Ukrainian land.

As fierce battles continue and diplomatic progress stalls, the war shows no signs of winding down. The intensifying drone warfare and missile exchanges underscore the widening scope of a conflict now deeply entrenched in both the battlefield and the geopolitical arena.