MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Tuesday that Ukraine is seeking to “frighten” Russians after a series of drone attacks hit Moscow and its surrounding region, which Moscow has attributed to Kyiv.
Putin suggested that Russia had initially targeted command centers in Ukraine, but Ukraine responded by trying to instill fear in Russia and its citizens through strikes on residential buildings.
Putin also commented on the effectiveness of Moscow’s air defense system during the unprecedented drone attack on the capital, stating that it worked satisfactorily but acknowledged that improvements could be made.
Putin said that a drone attack on Moscow was Ukraine’s “response” to Russian missiles strike on a military intelligence headquarters in Ukraine.
Ukraine Targeted Residential Buildings Moscow
A Ukrainian “headquarters of military intelligence was struck two or three days ago,” Putin said on state television. “In response, Ukraine chose a different path to frighten Russian citizens,” referring to the attack on Moscow earlier today.
Russia has accused the West of contributing to Ukraine’s behavior, labeling it “increasingly reckless” due to the support it receives. The Russian foreign ministry claimed that the drone attacks in Moscow were intended to spread panic among civilians.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed condemnation of the latest Russian air raids on Ukrainian civilian targets during a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, the statement did not explicitly mention the drone strikes on residential buildings in Moscow that occurred on the same day.
