Russia: Operation Sindoor Delegation Caught In Mid-Air Moscow Drone Siege

Led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, the delegation was en route to Russian capital of Moscow as part of India’s global outreach to justify its precision military strike against Pakistan.

Indian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Vinay Kumar welcomes the all-party delegation led by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi as they arrive at Moscow Domodedovo International Airport, in Moscow.(X/IndEmbMoscow)

New Delhi: A high-stakes Indian flight, carrying an Operation Sindoor delegation, circled over Moscow skies as drones swarmed the Russian capital on Thursday night. It forced a tense delay just as anti-terror message was about to land.

Led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, the delegation was en route to the city as part of India’s global outreach to justify its precision military strike against Pakistan and expose the neighbour’s deep rooted terror networks.

Just before the landing, Moscow’s skies suddenly turned hostile. The flight had to hover in the air for around 45 minutes in the middle of drone strikes by Ukraine  Finally, the aircraft eventually touched down safely.

India’s Battle Narrative Goes Global

Kanimozhi’s delegation includes NCP MP Jawed Ashraf, AAP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal, RJD MP Pred Chand Gupta, BJP MP Captain Brijesh Chowkta, NCP MP Mian Altaf Ahmad, SP MP Rajeev Rai and former Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri.

On arrival at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport the Hon’ble Members of Parliament @KanimozhiDMK , @RajeevRai , @CaptBrijesh , @guptapc50 , @DrAshokKMittal and Ambassador @ambmanjeevpuri , welcomed by Ambassador @vkumar1969 . A busy schedule of meetings and interactions awaits them in… pic.twitter.com/p5fStqNYnh — India in Russia (@IndEmbMoscow) May 22, 2025

What is their mission? Take India’s case against Pakistan’s terror hubs, its role in the April 22 Pahalgam attack and India’s bold military response to the international stage. The operation shattered several Pakistani digital warfare systems and airbases.

In addition to Russia, the delegation will also visit Spain, Latvia, Greece and Slovenia to rally support and present classified visuals of dismantled Pakistani terror launch pads.

Drone Chaos in Moscow

Meanwhile, the drone attack launched by Ukraine against Moscow was one of the most intense in months. Over 100 drones were launched – with 35 directly targeting Moscow.

Russia claimed it intercepted most of the drones, but it disrupted the air traffic and caused panic across the capital.

#WATCH | Moscow, Russia: Russia's Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by Andrei Denisov - First Deputy Chair of the Committee, holds a meeting with the all-party delegation led by DMK MP Kanimozhi in Moscow. India's Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar and… pic.twitter.com/oQ0BSlG8EV — ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2025

According to Russia’s defence ministry, its air defence systems intercepted and shattered 105 drones.

Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confimed another barrage of 11 drones was intercepted and neatralised as they neared the capital.

Symbolic Irony?

Fighting to expose Pakistan’s use of proxy terrorism, the Indian delegation, in a twist laced with irony, found itself momentarily caught in the middle of ongoing war between two countries where covert operations and drone warfare dominate the battlefield.

But the mission of India is clear – take Operation Sindoor ahead of military objectives and reframe the global conversation around terrorism, preemptive action and accountability. And therefore, the sky full of drones could not stop that message from landing.