Russia has accused Ukraine of a new drone attack on Moscow, stating that it had successfully brought down three Ukrainian drones early on Sunday. The incident follows a similar attempt last Monday, in which two drones were allegedly used to attack Moscow. The Russian Defence Ministry has claimed that the drones were shot down or forced to crash, resulting in no casualties or injuries. However, minor damage was reported to the facade of two office buildings in the Moskva-Citi business district.
The Moskva-Citi district, located several miles from the Kremlin, is known for its modern high-rise towers. One of the damaged buildings reportedly housed three Russian government ministries as well as residential apartments. The fact that hostile drones have reached the heart of the Russian capital in recent months, even without causing serious damage, is concerning for the authorities who have assured the public of Russia’s control over its “special military operation” against Ukraine.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov had previously stated that there would be more drone strikes, but there has been no immediate reaction from Kyiv regarding the latest incident. Flights to and from Moscow’s Vnukovo airport were briefly suspended due to the attack.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that two drones crashed in the Moskva-Citi district after being brought down using radio-electronic equipment. Another drone was shot down in the air over the Odintsovo area in the Moscow region. The ministry described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack by the “Kyiv regime” using unmanned aerial vehicles against targets in Moscow.
In a separate incident, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have successfully thwarted an overnight attack on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. It stated that 25 Ukrainian drones were either shot down or forced to crash, resulting in no casualties or damage.
Witnesses described the Moscow incident as an explosion followed by smoke and fire. Some glass panels in a high-rise building were blown out, and debris was scattered on the pavement. Two drones had previously reached the Kremlin in May, marking the most high-profile incident of its kind.
Reporting by Andrew Osborn in Moscow and Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru. Edited by William Mallard, Lincoln Feast, and Frances Kerry.
Andrew Osborn, the Russia Chief Political Correspondent and former Moscow bureau chief, has extensive experience reporting on Russia’s political, economic, and social transformation under President Vladimir Putin. He has also covered Russia’s growing confrontation with the West and the wars in Georgia and Ukraine. Osborn was part of a Wall Street Journal reporting team that was short-listed for a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting. He has reported from Moscow for two British newspapers, The Telegraph and The Independent.
What evidence does Russia have to support their accusation that Ukraine launched a drone attack on Moscow?
Russia has once again accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on Moscow, claiming that three Ukrainian drones were successfully brought down early on Sunday. This incident comes just a week after an alleged drone attack on the Russian capital. The Russian Defence Ministry stated that the drones were either shot down or forced to crash, resulting in no casualties or injuries. However, minor damage was reported on the facade of two office buildings in the Moskva-Citi business district.
Moskva-Citi, known for its modern high-rise towers, is situated a few miles away from the Kremlin. One of the damaged buildings reportedly housed three Russian government ministries and residential apartments. The fact that hostile drones have managed to reach the heart of Moscow, even though they haven’t caused significant damage, is worrying for Russian authorities. They have been assuring the public of their control over the “special military operation” against Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, commented on the situation.
It is concerning to witness the potential escalation in conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, especially if a targeted drone attack on Moscow was indeed thwarted. This development emphasizes the urgent need for diplomatic resolutions and de-escalation efforts to prevent further tensions and ensure regional stability.