The Russian Defense Minister said in the early hours of Sunday the country’s air defense systems have pulled down three Ukrainian drones in the Moscow region, one just outside the city and two more in the center. The debris of the intercepted drones damaged two buildings of an office complex, without causing serious injuries: it is only the most recent of the attacks carried out on Russian territory that Russia attributes to Ukraine.
More drone attacks reported in Russia’s capital, this time hitting the Moscow International Business Center (Moscow-City) high-rises, which house the offices of the Communications and Mass Media Ministry. pic.twitter.com/4eTqPdHy0i
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) July 30, 2023
The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, wrote on Telegram on Sunday morning that the facades of two buildings were damaged as a result of the attack and that the city’s airport was temporarily closed to facilitate anti-aircraft defense systems. According to the Russian state news agency Tass, a security officer of the office complex, which is located in the financial district of the city, a few kilometers from the Kremlin, was injured in the incident. The airport reopened after about an hour.
The photos and videos that are circulating on social networks and agencies show an explosion near a building and part of the floor of a skyscraper gutted, as well as various debris on the ground.
#Russian officials report a drone attack on #Moscow. One of the towers of the Moscow City complex was damaged. pic.twitter.com/g6yKOkTOuC
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 30, 2023
This is not the first time Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out drone strikes on Moscow, the country’s capital, which is hundreds of kilometers away from the war zones.
In early May, Russian authorities accused Ukraine of a drone attack on the Kremlin, which is the seat of various Russian state institutions and the official residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Three buildings were damaged in a similar attack also attributed to Ukraine by the end of the month. Russia had said it shot down at least five Ukrainian drones near Moscow in early July as well, and accused Ukraine of carrying out other attacks this week as well: in Moscow on Monday, where debris from two intercepted drones damaged two buildings, and on Friday in Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov, about forty kilometers from the border with eastern Ukraine, where those from a missile injured at least nine people. Ukrainian authorities have consistently rejected the allegations or refrained from commenting.
(AP Photo)