The Russian capital and several regions of the Russian Federation have been subjected to unprecedented drone attacks. Strategic facilities in Zelenograd, Dubna, near Moscow and in the occupied Crimea were hit, causing large-scale fires and destruction.
The scale of the attack and the first consequences
On the night of 17 May, about 600 attack drones attacked Moscow and a number of other regions of the Russian Federation. The targets included critical infrastructure, industrial enterprises and military facilities. Russian services report numerous hits and large-scale fires, including under the noses of the country's leadership.
Severe fire breaks out at air base Belbek in occupied Crimea after a drone attack, according to local sources. Sheremetyevo Airport, one of Russia's largest transport hubs, was also hit.
A blow to high-tech enterprises
The Angstrom plant in Zelenograd, which specialises in the production of microelectronics, semiconductors and microprocessors, sustained serious damage. This facility is an important element of of the Russian defence industry, and its defeat could affect the pace of development and production of electronics for Russian military needs.
In the city of Dubna, the Raduga plant, which develops cruise missiles and other missile weapons. This incident demonstrated the vulnerability of even the most protected military and industrial facilities in Russia to modern means of attack.
Oil infrastructure in the crosshairs
Among the targets hit was the «Transneft»the largest operator of the Russian oil transportation system. At the same time, a large-scale fire broke out at the Solnechnogorsk station near Moscow, which is used for storage and transshipment of oil products. Such strikes pose risks to the stability of fuel supply and logistics in the Russian domestic market.
Why it matters
The massive drone attack on Moscow and Russia's strategic targets has become one of the most powerful in the war. The attacks on defence industry facilities, oil transportation infrastructure and military airfields undermine Russia's ability to sustain military operations and its economy. The attack also demonstrates the growing technological capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles and exposes the vulnerability of Russia's air defence system, even in the country's central regions.
Reaction of the Russian Ministry of Defence
Following the attack, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed to have allegedly «shot down» 556 Ukrainian drones over various regions of Russia overnight. At the same time, the Russian side did not explain how a significant number of drones managed to reach strategic targets, despite claims of air defence operations.
