Topline
Russian officials Monday accused the Ukrainian military of carrying out a drone attack on Moscow, an allegation that comes days after Moscow accused Kyiv’s forces of destroying a portion of the key bridge connecting the annexed region of Crimea with the Russian mainland.
A view of a damaged business centre on Likhacheva Street after a reported drone attack in Moscow.
Key Facts
In a statement on Telegram, the Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine attempted to carry out a “terrorist attack” using two drones targeting “facilities” in Moscow—without offering exact details about the purported targets.
The ministry claims the two drones crashed after being disabled through “electronic warfare” measures and there were no casualties.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the drones struck two non-residential buildings, which the Russian state media identified as high-rise office towers in the southern part of the national capital.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the incident “an act of international terrorism,” in a press briefing.
Ukrainian officials are yet to comment on the incident.
Tangent
On Sunday, at least two people were killed and dozens were injured in a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa. The attack caused major damage to the historic Transfiguration Cathedral, a major landmark in the city and also a UNESCO-listed world heritage site. The UN body strongly condemned the “brazen attack carried out by the Russian forces.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also condemned the attacks and vowed retaliation.
Key Background
Over the past few months, Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out multiple drone attacks on Moscow. Earlier this month, operations at a major airport in the Russian capital were disrupted as authorities accused Ukraine of targeting the area with drone attacks. Officials claimed they were able to shoot down four drones over Moscow, while a fifth was downed over a Western suburb of the city. The most serious of these incidents took place in May when the Kremlin was struck by drones allegedly fired by Ukrainian forces. Officials in the Russian government labeled the attack as an attempt to assassinate the country’s president Vladimir Putin. Ukraine denied its involvement in the attack, however, U.S. officials believe it was carried out by Kyiv’s special military or intelligence unit.
Section Title
Russia blames Ukraine for “terrorist” drone attack on Moscow (Reuters)
Ukraine Denies Making Assassination Attempt On Putin (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/07/24/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-carrying-out-terrorist-drone-attack-on-moscow/