Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on October 26, 2026, that it had arrested two men accused of preparing close-range drone attacks from inside Russia. The alleged targets included part of Moscow's missile defense system and a power facility, and the drones were to be remotely operated from Ukraine, according to the FSB. The agency accused the two men of working for Ukraine's security service, saying they collected first-person-view drones and explosive components from hidden locations in the Smolensk and Kaluga regions, assembled them, transported them to the Moscow region, and launched them before handing control to operators in Ukraine.
Russian authorities said the two suspects are from the South Caucasus, born in 1991 and 1998, but did not release their nationalities or names. The men were remanded in custody on terrorism-related charges. Russia did not disclose the specific targets or explain how the drones would be operated from Ukraine, and released video reportedly includes confessions and footage of the drones being assembled and prepared.
The case comes amid repeated drone-related disruption around Moscow. On October 23, 2026, four airports serving Moscow suspended arrivals and departures simultaneously as Russian air defenses intercepted incoming drones, the second simultaneous closure in two days. The airports were Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo guided passengers to shelter, including passengers on parked aircraft. The article also notes Russia's expanding use of jet-powered Shahed attack drones: Ukraine's Air Force said a Russian attack on the night of October 9-10 involved 160 drones, including 110 jet-powered Shaheds, of which 117 were shot down or jammed, including 82 jet-powered models, with strikes recorded at 14 locations.