Published On 27/10/2025
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Last update: 05:54 (Mecca time)
The wave of mutual attacks between Russia and Ukraine was renewed at dawn today, Monday, in the largest escalation in weeks, which led to the closure of two airports in the vicinity of the Russian capital, Moscow, amid warnings of the expansion of tension to the neighboring Baltic countries.
The Russian authorities announced that air defense systems responded last night to repeated drone attacks targeting the capital, which led to the temporary closure of Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports “to ensure aviation safety,” according to the Russian Aviation Authority.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that Russian defenses shot down 28 drones within 5 consecutive hours, without reporting significant human or material damage, while Kiev did not comment on the attacks.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian authorities reported that their drones targeted Russian military sites in the Crimean Peninsula, and damaged radar stations and a landing boat, while Moscow announced that it shot down 6 other Ukrainian drones that were on their way towards the capital.
Also, 10 civilians, including two children, were injured in a Russian drone bombing that targeted a minibus near the city of Sumy in eastern Ukraine, according to what the regional governor, Oleh Grigorov, announced.
In a development related to regional tension, Lithuania, a member of NATO, closed Vilnius Airport and several border crossings with Belarus after foreign objects, described as “helium balloons” from Belarusian territory, entered its airspace, in the fourth such incident within days.
On the political level, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Vitso announced that his country will not participate in any European program to finance military aid to Ukraine, stressing that “the solution does not lie on the battlefield,” at a time when the Kremlin stressed its adherence to “constructive dialogue” with Washington despite the new American sanctions.
This simultaneous escalation comes as attempts to revive peace negotiations between Moscow and Kiev falter, despite US President Donald Trump’s promises to quickly end the war after his return to the White House early this year.