MOSCOW: Russia reported on Tuesday that it had intercepted another wave of Ukrainian drones directed at vessels in the Black Sea and Moscow, as an office block in Moscow’s main business district was struck for the second time in recent days.
The Russian defense ministry stated that two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were destroyed over the territory of the Odintsovo and Narofominsk districts of the Moscow region. Another drone was suppressed by electronic warfare and crashed in Moscow City, the capital’s high-rise business district.
This comes after similar incidents over the weekend, where Russian defenses downed drones in the same district, causing damage to office towers and windows.
The strike in Moscow City damaged the facade of a building that houses offices for various Russian government ministries. While there were no immediate reports of casualties, the attack caused alarm among residents.
Shortly after the drone attack, Vnukovo international airport in Moscow was briefly closed.
In addition to the attacks on Moscow, the Russian defense ministry stated that it also foiled a Ukrainian drone attack targeting patrol boats in the Black Sea.
Russia Blames Ukraine for Moscow Drone Attacks
These attacks are part of a series of drone assaults that Moscow has blamed on Kyiv, escalating tensions between the two countries. Tuesday’s attacks were the latest in a series of drone assaults — including on the Kremlin and Russian towns near the border with Ukraine — that Moscow has blamed on Kyiv.
In response to the attacks, the Kremlin called them an “act of desperation” by Ukraine following military setbacks.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing, with both sides exchanging fire and making modest advances on the frontline. The situation remains tense, with both countries accusing each other of aggression and drone strikes.
Without mentioning a particular attack, Zelensky warned Sunday that the conflict was coming to Russia.
“Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia — to its symbolic centres and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process,” Zelensky said Sunday.
The Kremlin on Monday called the recent strikes on the capital an “act of desperation” by Ukraine following setbacks on the battlefield.
Ukraine began its long-awaited counteroffensive in June but has made modest advances in the face of stiff resistance from Russian forces on the frontline.
On Monday, Russia said it would intensify its strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure in response to drone strikes across its territory which it has blamed on Kyiv.
