Drone Incidents Rock Moscow: Ukraine’s Involvement Suspected
On a tense Sunday morning, three Ukrainian drones were brought down over Moscow, causing a brief shutdown of an international airport. The Russian defense ministry reported that while one drone was shot down on the city’s outskirts, two others were “suppressed by electronic warfare” and collided into an office complex, resulting in injuries to a security guard.
Escalating Drone Assaults
Moscow and its surroundings, located more than 500km from the Ukrainian border, have been targeted in a series of drone attacks this year. The most recent attack is the latest in a string of drone assaults, including on the Kremlin and Russian towns near the Ukraine border, which Moscow has consistently blamed on Kyiv.
“Attempted Terrorist Attack”
Describing the incident as an “attempted terrorist attack,” the Russian defense ministry reported the destruction of one Ukrainian UAV in the air over the Odintsovo district of Moscow region. The two other drones lost control due to electronic warfare and crashed into Moscow-City’s non-residential building complex.
Aviation Disruptions
The capital’s Vnukovo airport was forced to close for departures and arrivals temporarily, with flights redirected to other airports. However, operations quickly returned to normal within an hour after the incident.
Continued Conflict
The drone attacks on Moscow come amid an ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive to reclaim territory captured by Russia since the large-scale hostilities erupted in February 2022. Regions bordering Ukraine have experienced regular drone strikes and shelling since Russia launched its military campaign last year.
Ukrainian Missile Intercepted
Separately, Russia announced that it had intercepted two Ukrainian missiles over its southern Rostov region, resulting in at least 16 people wounded by falling debris in the city of Taganrog. While regions bordering Ukraine have been targeted by regular drone strikes and shelling, missile attacks in these areas have been rare.
On the Ukrainian side of the border, a Russian missile attack on the northeast Ukrainian city of Sumy resulted in at least one civilian killed and five injured, according to national police.
The situation remains tense as both sides grapple with the consequences of these drone and missile attacks.
