Ukrainian drones struck wealthy districts of Moscow on Tuesday, Russia said in what one politician called the most dangerous attack since WWII, while Kyiv was also hit from the air for the third time in 24 hours.
Since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into its neighbour, the war has largely been fought inside Ukraine. Aerial strikes on targets far from the frontlines have intensified recently amid a messy stalemate on the ground .
Russia’s defence ministry said eight drones sent by Kyiv and targeting civilians were shot down or diverted with electronic jammers, though Baza, a Telegram channel with links to the security services, said more than 25 were involved. Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian presidential aide, denied Kyiv was directly involved but said “we are pleased to watch events” and forecast more such strikes.
Two people were injured while some apartment blocks were briefly evacuated, according to Moscow’s mayor. Residents said they heard loud bangs followed by the smell of petrol. Some filmed a drone being shot down and a plume of smoke. The early-morning drone volley targeted some of Moscow’s most prestigious districts including where Putin and the elite have residences.
Putin cast the assault as a terrorist response that came after Russia struck at Ukraine’s military intelligence headquarters several days ago. Ukraine, Putin said, had chosen the path of attempting “to intimidate Russia, Russian citizens and attacks on residential buildings”. “This is clearly a sign of terrorist activity,” he said. Air defences around Moscow – which as the capital of the world’s biggest nuclear power is already protected by an extensive early warning system – would be strengthened, he said.
Russian lawmaker Maxim Ivanov called it the most serious assault on Moscow since Nazi Germany’s invasion in WWII, saying no Russian could now avoid “the new reality”. “The sabotage and terrorist attacks of Ukraine will only increase,” said anothe lawmaker, Alexander Khinshtein, who called for a radical strengthening of defences.
Civilian targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities have since the earliest days of the war been struck repeatedly by Russian drones and missiles. But Tuesday marked only the second time the Russian capital had come under direct fire, after an apparent drone strike on the Kremlin earlier this month that Moscow also blamed on Kyiv and said was meant to kill Putin. A White House spokesperson said the US was still gathering information on what had happened. The spokesperson said while the US generally did not support attacks inside Russia, Kyiv had been hit with 17 rounds of air strikes this month, and Washington was focused on giving Ukraine the equipment and training it needed to “retake their own sovereign territory”. Kyiv said four people died around Ukraine in Russia’s latest attacks on Tuesday, with 34 wounded including two kids. In the capital, Ukraine said it shot down over 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones. Eleven people were hurt.
Since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into its neighbour, the war has largely been fought inside Ukraine. Aerial strikes on targets far from the frontlines have intensified recently amid a messy stalemate on the ground .
Russia’s defence ministry said eight drones sent by Kyiv and targeting civilians were shot down or diverted with electronic jammers, though Baza, a Telegram channel with links to the security services, said more than 25 were involved. Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian presidential aide, denied Kyiv was directly involved but said “we are pleased to watch events” and forecast more such strikes.
Two people were injured while some apartment blocks were briefly evacuated, according to Moscow’s mayor. Residents said they heard loud bangs followed by the smell of petrol. Some filmed a drone being shot down and a plume of smoke. The early-morning drone volley targeted some of Moscow’s most prestigious districts including where Putin and the elite have residences.
Putin cast the assault as a terrorist response that came after Russia struck at Ukraine’s military intelligence headquarters several days ago. Ukraine, Putin said, had chosen the path of attempting “to intimidate Russia, Russian citizens and attacks on residential buildings”. “This is clearly a sign of terrorist activity,” he said. Air defences around Moscow – which as the capital of the world’s biggest nuclear power is already protected by an extensive early warning system – would be strengthened, he said.
Russian lawmaker Maxim Ivanov called it the most serious assault on Moscow since Nazi Germany’s invasion in WWII, saying no Russian could now avoid “the new reality”. “The sabotage and terrorist attacks of Ukraine will only increase,” said anothe lawmaker, Alexander Khinshtein, who called for a radical strengthening of defences.
Civilian targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities have since the earliest days of the war been struck repeatedly by Russian drones and missiles. But Tuesday marked only the second time the Russian capital had come under direct fire, after an apparent drone strike on the Kremlin earlier this month that Moscow also blamed on Kyiv and said was meant to kill Putin. A White House spokesperson said the US was still gathering information on what had happened. The spokesperson said while the US generally did not support attacks inside Russia, Kyiv had been hit with 17 rounds of air strikes this month, and Washington was focused on giving Ukraine the equipment and training it needed to “retake their own sovereign territory”. Kyiv said four people died around Ukraine in Russia’s latest attacks on Tuesday, with 34 wounded including two kids. In the capital, Ukraine said it shot down over 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones. Eleven people were hurt.
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