Russia says it was hit by ‘massive' drone attack ahead of crucial talks between US and Ukraine

CNN

11-03-2025

Russia said it was hit by a 'massive' Ukrainian drone attack overnight Tuesday, just hours before critical talks between officials from Washington and Kyiv began.
Moscow's defense ministry said it had downed 343 drones it claimed Ukraine had fired at Russia, of which 91 had targeted the Moscow region. It also said six Ukrainian strike drones were intercepted near Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant.
If the figure is confirmed, the aerial attacks would represent one of the largest on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.
Falling debris damaged buildings in Moscow, in what mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram was a 'most massive' attack.
Three people were killed and at least six wounded in the Moscow region, local officials said. Regional Gov. Andrey Vorobyev said on Telegram that the falling debris started a fire in a parking lot that burned through more than 20 cars.
Ukraine's Armed Forces said it targeted the production facilities of the Moscow Oil Refinery, and claimed 'civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged as a result of the Russian aggressor's air defense.'
Video geolocated by CNN shows an explosion at an apartment building in the southern Moscow region.
The attacks forced two Moscow airports to close for safety reasons, as well as two airports east of the city, according to state-run news agency TASS, adding that several flights to Moscow were redirected to other airports.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force said it had defended against Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks overnight. At least one person was killed and 18 injured, according to a CNN tally of figures released by various Ukrainian officials.
The attacks come ahead of Tuesday's talks between the US and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia, which are now in progress. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security adviser Mike Waltz are meeting the Ukrainian national security adviser, foreign minister and defense minister.
'We will protect Ukrainian interests, have a clear vision of ending the war, and work effectively with our American partners,' Zelensky's Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said earlier on Tuesday.
Ahead of the meeting, Rubio said the US wanted to hear what concessions Ukraine would be willing to make in negotiations to end the war with Russia, and that the talks could determine whether Washington resumes providing military aid and full intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
CNN previously reported that the US is still sharing intelligence with Ukraine that can help its troops defend themselves but has 'scaled back' sharing details that could be used for offensive targeting of Russian forces, according to two US defense officials.
Fighting on the ground has intensified in recent weeks as the US-Ukraine relationship has soured, following the shouting match between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Russia launched a major aerial assault on Ukraine last Friday and Saturday that killed more than two dozen people, according to Ukrainian authorities; another series of attacks killed six more civilians from Sunday to Monday.
Ukraine's presence in Russia's Kursk region is also shrinking sharply, with the Russian advance threatening Kyiv's sole territorial bargaining counter at a crucial time in the war.
Ukraine's reported attack on Moscow Tuesday appeared to be larger than its previous largest assault on the Russian capital last November.
Russia said it downed 34 Ukrainian drones during that attack, which injured a woman, forced the temporary closure of airspace and caused two houses to catch fire.
Last September, Russia said it destroyed at least 20 Ukrainian drones near Moscow in an attack that killed at least one person and forced airport closures in the capital.