On Sunday, a series of drone attacks in Moscow, Russia, sparked chaos and temporarily closed an international airport. The Russian defense ministry reported that three Ukrainian drones were involved in the attack, with one being shot down on the city's outskirts and the other two "suppressed by electronic warfare" before crashing into an office complex. This report provides a detailed overview of the incident, the response, and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
According to Russia's state news agency Tass, the attack resulted in a security guard's injury and slight damage to the facades of two city office towers. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the Ukrainian origin of the drones, stating that "Ukrainian drones attacked tonight." This is not the first time that Moscow has been targeted by such attacks, despite being more than 500 km away from the Ukrainian border and the ongoing conflict.
Moscow's Vnukovo airport, the scene of previous drone attacks, was temporarily closed for departures and arrivals following the incident. However, within a short time, operations returned to normal. The Russian defense ministry termed the attack an "attempted terrorist attack," raising concerns about the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for offensive purposes.
The drone attacks in Moscow occurred amid a Ukrainian counter-offensive to reclaim territories occupied by Russia since the start of large-scale hostilities in February 2022. In response to the ongoing conflict, Russia reported intercepting two Ukrainian missiles over its southern Rostov region, resulting in injuries to at least 16 people in the city of Taganrog. This region has been frequently targeted by drone strikes and shelling since the beginning of Russia's military campaign last year.
The attacks have also taken a toll on civilians in both countries. On the Ukrainian side, at least one civilian was killed in a Russian missile attack on the north-eastern city of Sumy, with five others injured. This highlights the grim reality of the conflict and its impact on innocent lives.