Title: Drone Attack Reported in Moscow as Tensions Escalate in Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Date: April 4, 2022
At 4 am local time on Monday, drones struck two non-residential buildings in Moscow, causing no serious damage or injuries, according to Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The attack occurred amidst growing tensions in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Residents in several districts of Moscow’s southwest and south reported hearing the sounds of explosions, as confirmed by Russia’s FSB-linked Telegram channels, as reported by Reuters.
The debris of a drone was later found at 17, Komsomolsky Prospekt, near Russia’s defense ministry buildings in Moscow’s central administrative district, according to the state-owned Tass news agency. Thankfully, there were no casualties reported, stated an emergencies official.
Law enforcement agencies and emergency services are currently working at the scene to investigate the incident, the official further added.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry stated that their air-defense forces successfully thwarted the attack, intercepting and destroying two drones.
In other developments concerning the Russia-Ukraine conflict:
– Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in St Petersburg, stated that Ukraine’s counteroffensive “has failed.” Lukashenko supported Putin’s stance, claiming that Minsk had control over the situation with fighters from the Wagner mercenary group, ensuring they remain in the center of Belarus.
– Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to accusations by Putin and Lukashenko, saying that Kyiv and Warsaw will always stand united against Russian imperialism and disrespect for international law.
– Ukraine accused Russia of shelling a cultural center in the Donetsk region with cluster munitions on Sunday morning, which was used as a humanitarian headquarters and aid distribution point for civilians.
– A NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, will address Black Sea security. The meeting was requested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following Russia’s withdrawal from a year-old deal over Ukrainian grain exports.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been escalating in recent weeks, with multiple incidents reported across the region. The international community remains concerned about the potential for further escalation and continues to monitor the situation closely.
[Photo: A police officer blocks a road in central Moscow after the reported drone attack. Photograph: Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters]
Updated: April 4, 2022, 04.04 BST