Topline
Russia has accused Ukraine of orchestrating a “terrorist attack” on Moscow after the city endured a wave of drone strikes on Tuesday, marking the first time the Russian capital has faced a large-scale drone attack since it launched its invasion of Ukraine last year amid escalating tensions ahead of Kyiv’s long-anticipated counteroffensive.
A specialist inspects the damaged facade of a multi-storey apartment building after a reported drone … [+]
Key Facts
Russia’s defense ministry said Kyiv was behind a “terrorist attack” on Moscow involving at least eight unmanned aerial drones.
Five of the drones were shot down by air defenses in the Moscow region and three were intercepted electronically, the defense ministry said.
No deaths have been reported and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said nobody was seriously injured in the attack, though several buildings sustained minor damage and some residents were temporarily evacuated.
The attack appears to have targeted some of Moscow’s wealthier neighborhoods, according to news reports, and several drones were reportedly shot down near an area housing the official residences of top government officials, including President Vladimir Putin, and other Russian elites.
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv was responsible for the attack.
However, Podolyak said Ukraine was enjoying watching events unfold and predicted an increase in the number of drone attacks.
What To Watch For
Putin has always sought to characterize Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation” to defend its interests, rather than a war. He has also staunchly maintained the operation would not threaten the lives of ordinary Russians. It is not clear how he will respond to an attack in the nation’s capital, which is hundreds of miles from the Ukrainian border. Putin is reportedly still working in the Kremlin and has been briefed on the attack, according to spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Peskov commended the military’s response to the attack and said there were no plans for Putin to comment.
News Peg
While drone attacks have become more common inside Russia’s borders, it is rare for any to reach Moscow, where many still view the war as a distant entity. Kyiv rarely comments officially on Russian allegations it is acting across the border, though President Volodymyr Zelensky denied the country carried out a drone attack on the Kremlin in May, which Russia claimed was a failed assassination attempt on Putin. The drone attacks on Moscow follow another night of Russian air strikes on Kyiv, which mark the third consecutive evening Russia has targeted the Ukrainian capital. Russia’s push comes as Moscow prepares for Ukraine to launch a long-anticipated counteroffensive, bolstered by deliveries of weapons and military gear from Western allies.
Further Reading
Moscow drone attack: ‘The windows of my home shook’ (BBC)
‘The intensity is increasing’: Ukraine says first steps in counteroffensive have begun (Guardian)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/05/30/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-terrorist-attack-after-drones-hit-moscow/