Moscow has repelled a multi-wave Ukrainian drone attack, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported in a series of Telegram posts early Tuesday morning. At least one of the drones hit a residential building in the south of the city, according to photos from the scene.
The first five drones were intercepted by 1:16am, Sobyanin said. Another was downed about 30 minutes later, followed by three more shortly before 2am, all en route to the capital.
“According to preliminary information, there are no serious injuries or casualties,” the mayor stated, adding that emergency services are working at the crash sites and “all necessary measures are being taken.”
At 2:17am, Sobyanin reported that the air defense “destroyed ten more drones flying to Moscow from different directions,” raising the total to at least 19 intercepted UAVs.
One of the UAVs fell near Kashirskoe Highway in the south of the city, according to Sobyanin.
While the official shared few details, photos published by TASS news agency indicated that the drone hit the top floor of a residential high-rise, shattering several windows and damaging the storefront of a flower shop.
Moscow’s Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky international airports temporarily suspended operations in response to the attack.
This week, Russia will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. President Vladimir Putin had ordered a three-day unilateral ceasefire to coincide with the commemorations, but Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky refused to reciprocate, saying Kiev would accept nothing short of an unconditional 30-day truce.
Zelensky and other officials in Kiev have issued veiled threats that they intend to target the military parade being held in Moscow on May 9, which will be attended by foreign dignitaries. Russia has denounced the rhetoric as evidence of Ukraine using terrorist tactics.
