MOSCOW: In a recent development, Russia’s defence ministry confirmed that it successfully intercepted and shot down three Ukrainian drones in the Kaluga region, situated to the southwest of Moscow. This marks the latest incident in a series of heightened aerial attacks near the Russian capital.
The incident unfolded at 5:00 am when Ukraine launched an attack utilizing three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeted at locations within the Kaluga region. The Russian defence ministry promptly detected the drones and deployed their air defence systems, resulting in the timely destruction of all three UAVs. The Kaluga governor, Vladislav Shapsha, confirmed that the drones were neutralized in the southern part of the region, which is located a few hundred kilometres southwest of Moscow. Shapsha further reassured that no adverse effects were incurred on the local populace or infrastructure as a result of the attack.
This occurrence is the latest in a series of similar attacks this month in the Kaluga region, all of which have been successfully thwarted by Russian forces. Prior to these recent incidents, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which commenced over a year ago, had not targeted the capital and its surrounding areas. However, the tide has turned in recent months with an increasing number of drone attacks being launched in close proximity to Moscow.
Notably, Moscow’s financial district witnessed two drone attacks in the past few weeks. Although they resulted in minor damage to the exteriors of high-rise buildings, they were successfully repelled by Russian defence mechanisms. In a separate incident, drones were also downed near the Kremlin in May.
Tensions have escalated significantly between Russia and Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issuing a stark warning on July 30. Zelensky indicated that “war” was imminent and that Russia’s symbolic centres and military bases could potentially become targets in the conflict.
