UKRAINE CONSIDERED SENDING 1,000 AI DRONES TOWARD MOSCOW IN A SINGLE NIGHT
Ukraine developed plans for an enormous autonomous-drone operation intended to close Moscow’s airports and place direct pressure on Russia’s political and business elite, according to The Atlantic.
The proposed operation, codenamed “M&Ms,” called for as many as 1,000 small, inexpensive drones to approach airports around Moscow in a single night. The objective was not to destroy civilian terminals or aircraft, but to overwhelm Russian air defenses and force the prolonged closure of the capital’s airspace.
The drones would reportedly navigate without GPS or continuous operator control. Using cameras, stored maps and AI-powered image matching, they could compare the terrain below with their programmed routes and continue toward designated targets despite Russian electronic warfare.
Two anonymous sources directly familiar with the project told The Atlantic that Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed serious concern about the danger to civilian aviation. He reportedly feared that an autonomous drone could mistakenly strike an airliner, killing passengers or airport personnel. Zelenskyy therefore did not authorize the attack, although he allegedly permitted technical preparations to continue.
The plan was reportedly driven by former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose team assembled programmers, developed the guidance system and obtained European financing. Preparations were halted after Fedorov’s dismissal in July, although one source claimed the project could be revived by a new team within approximately three months.
The Office of the President strongly denied that such an operation existed, calling the report “total nonsense.” The Atlantic’s account therefore remains based on anonymous sources rather than an official Ukrainian confirmation.
Nevertheless, the concept reveals the direction modern warfare is taking. A swarm of autonomous weapons could overwhelm defenses built to intercept smaller waves, but removing direct human control creates enormous legal and moral risks—especially around functioning civilian airports.
Ukraine has repeatedly forced temporary closures at Moscow’s four main airports through drone activity. “M&Ms” would have attempted something far larger: isolating Moscow’s elite from international travel and making those closest to Putin feel the consequences of the war he brought to Ukraine.