Russia Accuses Ukraine of Drone Attack in Moscow
Moscow, 24 July 2023 – Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone attack that damaged two buildings in the capital city, Moscow, early this morning. The Russian defence ministry stated that two drones were “suppressed and crashed,” and fortunately, there were no casualties reported.
According to the state-owned Tass news agency, one of the drones fell near the defence ministry. Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the incident, as they rarely claim responsibility for attacks inside Russia.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin of Moscow described the drone strikes as hitting “non-residential” buildings around 04:00 local time. He reassured the public that the buildings had not sustained significant damage. However, state news agencies reported that some drone fragments were discovered approximately 2 km away from the defence ministry’s buildings.
In a statement posted to Telegram, the Russian defence ministry accused the “Kyiv regime” of attempting a terrorist act using two drones in Moscow. Additionally, the state-run Tass news agency reported finding drone debris along Komsomolsky Avenue, where traffic was temporarily blocked. Photos from the scene showed emergency services responding to the incident.
Furthermore, another high-rise office building on Likhachev Avenue suffered damage, causing traffic to be halted in that area. Footage aired on the military Zvezda TV channel revealed missing windows at the top of the building.
This is not the first time that Moscow has accused Ukraine of conducting drone attacks on Russian territory. In May, Ukraine denied carrying out a drone attack on the Kremlin, which Russia claimed was an attempted assassination of President Vladimir Putin.
The United Nations’ cultural agency, Unesco, expressed deep dismay and strong condemnation for the attack on Odesa’s historic center. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine pledged retaliation for the drone attack, emphasizing that the consequences would be felt by the perpetrators. “The target of all these missiles is not just cities, villages, or people. Their target is humanity and the foundations of our entire European culture,” President Zelensky said during his nightly address from Kyiv.
As tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, the international community remains concerned about the potential for further conflict and the impact it will have on regional stability. The accusations and counter-accusations between the two countries indicate a dangerous escalation in the already tense situation.