Ukraine’s daring ‘M&M’ operation to paralyse Moscow airports with 1,000-drone swarm in one night to force Putin to table

A UKRAINIAN operation to unleash a swarm of 1,000 drones to paralyse Moscow’s airports in a single night has been revealed. The plan, code named “M&Ms”, would have stuck the Russian capital in a bid to trap the Russian elite and force the Kremlin into negotiatiations. Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow was one of the main targets of the operation Credit: Alamy Ukrainian drones strike a major logistics centre in Domodedovo, close to one of Moscow’s main airports Credit: East2West Moscow’s four major airports – Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky – were the key targets of the mission, two sources familiar with the operation told The Atlantic. The prolonged disruption would force international carriers to block flights to Moscow, cutting off a key link between Russia’s political elite and the outside world. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! If successful, the cunning plot would mark a terrifying milestone in the history of warfare. A fleet of AI-enabled, low-cost drones were designed especially for the mission. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly gave the green light for preparations Credit: Getty Thick plumes of smoke rise from an oil refinery following a Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow The UAVs could track down targets using AI guidance systems, without human operators controlling their movements. Their onboard computers would allow the weapons to compare live camera footage with data stored in their systems. Once a target was identified, a drone would dive into it and detonate without requiring confirmation from a pilot. Drone systems like this have been tested by various countries but have never been deployed at scale. Most read in The Sun The bombshell plan was developed under former Ukrainian minister Mykhailo Fedorov. A blueprint was reportedly presented to President Volodymyr Zelensky in early 2026, the sources claim. The Ukrainian leader raised concerns about the potential risks to civilian aircraft, passengers and airport workers. But he gave the green light for preparations to continue, according to The Atlantic’s sources. The plan was then stalled in July following Fedorov’s resignation. It comes as Kyiv has intensified long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries and energy facilities recently. The crippling strikes have forced Russia – a fuel exporter in peacetime – to import fuel, the government confirmed this week. And airports across the country were forced to close 114 times between June 28 to July 28 last summer, according to Russian aviation authorities. The closures were mainly triggered by the threat of Ukrainian drones. Moscow had the highest number of shutdowns—at least 17 in total at its four main airports. A spokesperson for Zelensky declined to comment to The Atlantic. Comment now