Moscow struck by rare drone attack after Kyiv hit by more strikes
A number of buildings were hit by the kamikaze drones last night (Picture: Reuters / AP)
A drone attack in Moscow has caused minor damage to buildings in the Russian capital, the mayor said today.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a Telegram post that the attack caused insignificant damage to several buildings and that no one has been seriously hurt, without clarifying what it means.
Residents of two buildings damaged in the attack have been evacuated, the mayor added.
There has been no comment from Kyiv, but on Monday, the head of Ukraines military intelligence, Gen Kyrylo Budanov,warned of a fast responseto previous pre-dawn attacks.
Images posted on social media showed traces of smoke in the sky above the Russian capital. Others showed a broken window.
It came after Russia launched its third attack on Ukraines capital in three days on Tuesday as its air defences worked to stop other drones.
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A number of buildings in Kyiv were set on fire and at least one person was killed in the capital.
Officials say falling debris caused the blazes, as Ukraines air defences intercepted more than 20 drones.
Ukraine said it downed all missiles and drones in the previous two attacks over the weekend.
Citing preliminary information, Kyivs military administration said more than 20 kamikaze drones had been destroyed in the latest attack.
It said one person was killed and three injured as a fire started in a multi-storey building in the southern Holosiivskyi district.
Ukrainian air defense intercepted a number of Shahed drones mid-air as the onslaught continued (Picture: AP)
A Russian drone was intercepted after the third attack in 24 hours (Picture: AP)
Two upper floors are destroyed, and there may be people under the rubble, the administration said in a statement.
Two private buildings were ablaze and several cars damaged in the Darnytskyi district just across the Dnipro river.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko described the latest attack as massive, urging residents not to leave shelters.
The air raid alert was lifted after three hours, meaning that the Russian air assault was over for the time being.
It was the 17th attack on the capital since the beginning of May, including a rare daytime attack on Monday.
The onslaught of dozens of drones led to explosions on buildings in Leninisky Prospekt and Profsoyuznaya Street near to the centre of Moscow.
They were reported to have struck blocks of flats and other tall buildings triggering panic among residents.
FSB investigators was at the scene of a number of the sites.
The attacks came after the head of Ukrainian military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov warned Russia would see a quick response to the unprecedented drone and missile attacks on Kyiv in recent days.
Attacks over the weekend saw a number of buildings hit by the drones destroying peoples homes (Picture: REUTERS)
Emergency services were called to the scene last night (Picture: via REUTERS)
Until now Moscow has been largely a safe haven from attacks in the war with life going on as normal despite the mayhem and misery Vladimir Putin has unleashed in dozens of Ukrainian cities.
All those who tried to intimidate us, dreaming that this would have some effect, you will regret it very soon, said Budanov.
Our answer will not be long in coming. Soon everyone will see everything.
Yet there was no immediate confirmation Ukraine was behind the assault.
There were also suspicions early today that the drones were sent from within Russia and not Ukraine.
A report suggested the incoming attacks were from Kaluga region.
Drones were flying over Rublyovka, home to many of Putins closest oligarchs and not far from his Moscow region official residence.
Drones exploded in the suburbs of New Moscow and Novaya Riga near Moscow.
One drone hit the upper floors of a residential building at 98 Profsoyuznaya Street.
The facade and glazing of the block were destroyed.
A KZ-6 shaped charge was carried by a drone which hit the 16th floor.
A high-rise building in the Holosiiv district caught fire (Picture: REUTERS)
A second hit a 24-storey residential tower block on Atlasova Street in New Moscow.
A drone lew into the window of a 13th-floor flat on Leninsky Prospekt in Moscow, reported Readovka.
Footage shows the area cordoned off.
One drone was seen in the sky above the village of Funkovo, in Moscow region.
Another was above the village of Kezmino.
A third buzzed the village of Romashkovo.
Several drones were aircraft type with a rear propeller.
Commentary on the videos indicated the palpable shock of residents at the attack.
F*** what a moment I caught, said one.
The b**** is right by our house.
F***!
Should I leave here?
I just walked out on the roof to check, and they were getting closer and closer.
More comments said: The first one was there.
I dont know what to do, I wonder if I should hide.
What a good morning* where did it hit?
Some blocks of flats is there.
A drone was seen over the elite village of Ilyinka, in Krasnogorskiy district, Moscow region.
Right above our house brother, right above it.
Its flying right at me, b****
Look at it, look*
A female voice says: Oh God!
President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised US-made Patriot air defences supplied to Ukraine.
In his video address late on Monday, he said they ensured 100% downing of any Russian missiles.
Russia wants to follow the path of evil to the end, that is, to its defeat, because evil cannot have any other end but defeat. The world must see that terror is losing, Mr Zelensky added.
Russias military have managed to hit some targets including an apparent air base were hit in other regions of Ukraine.
On Monday, the authorities in the western Khmelnytskyi region said five aircraft had been damaged at a military location. The runway there was now being repaired, the authorities added, without providing any further details.
Russias military has said that all intended targets were hit during its recent attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
The claims by the warring sides have not been independently verified.
Russia which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 has been using kamikaze drones as well as a range of cruise and ballistic missiles.
Analysts say Moscow is seeking to deplete and damage Ukraines air defences ahead of its long-expected counter-offensive.
Ukraine has been planning a counter-offensive for months. But it has wanted as much time as possible to train troops and to receive military equipment from Western allies.
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Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 6:35 am