Massive drone attacks exchanged between Moscow, Kyiv: Officials

LONDON -- In one of the largest exchanges of drone attacks since the Russia-Ukraine war began, dozens were shot down in Russia and Ukraine in overnight assaults, officials in both countries said.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said Wednesday they shot down more than 50 Ukrainian long-range drones over various regions, including nearly a dozen around Moscow.

The drones over Moscow were shot down Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, local time, according to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin.

Unverified videos published online showed explosions in the sky over Russia. Sobyanin said some of the drones were destroyed in the region surrounding Moscow, brought down by the city's layered air defense.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the attack in Russia.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces shot down 50 Shahed drones and subdued 16 others in a prolonged attack -- the longest drone assault since the start of the full-scale -- officials in Ukraine said.

Ten drones were shot down around Kyiv, according to Maj. Gen. Anatoliy Barhylevych, the commander of Ukraine's armed forces. The drone assault lasted for 16 hours, from 10 p.m. Tuesday till 2 p.m. Wednesday local time, he said.

Russian authorities have not yet commented on the attack in Ukraine.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv warned in an alert Wednesday to American citizens in Ukraine that "during the next several days and through the weekend there is an increased risk of both nighttime and daytime Russian drone and missile attacks."

The alert said the threat was tied to Ukraine's upcoming Independence Day and did not suggest it was connected to any Ukrainian military activities inside Russian territory.