MOSCOW: Russia’s defense ministry reported on Friday that it successfully thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack in the Moscow region overnight. The ministry stated that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was destroyed using air defense systems, and fortunately, there were no casualties or damage.
The attempted drone strike occurred shortly after Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the attack, though he did not specify the exact location. He mentioned the incident on Telegram, revealing that it was an “enemy drone attack attempt.”
This recent attempted strike follows a similar incident a few days ago when Ukraine claimed responsibility for a drone attack in central Moscow. On Monday, a drone crashed near the defense ministry in the heart of the Russian capital, and another drone hit an office building in a southern district.
Rare Drone Attacks in Moscow
Historically, Moscow and its surrounding areas, located approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the Ukrainian border, had rarely been targeted by drone attacks until this year. However, there have been several such incidents in recent months.
In early May, two drones were shot down above the Kremlin. Subsequently, drone attacks targeted Moscow’s high-rises later the same month. Moreover, Russia reported downing five Ukrainian drones earlier this month, which caused disruptions at Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport.
The drone attacks on Moscow coincide with Ukraine’s ongoing counter-offensive to reclaim territory captured by Russia since the eruption of large-scale hostilities in February 2022.
