Since Russia launched its military campaign in February last year, the war has largely been fought inside Ukraine. However, Russia has recently reported a number of attacks on its territory, saying one of them was an assassination attempt on President Vladimir Putin.
Debris of the UAV that hit Moscow, Russia on May 30, 2023. Photo: TASS
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the drone attack early Tuesday morning local time injured two people, while some residents of two apartment blocks that suffered minor damage were briefly evacuated.
The Russian Defense Ministry said eight drones sent by Kiev were shot down or diverted. Residents reported hearing loud explosions and a strong smell of gasoline. Some videos showed a drone being shot down and a plume of smoke rising over Moscow.
Lawmaker Maxim Ivanov called it the most serious attack on Moscow since Nazi Germany, saying no citizen could now avoid the “new reality”. Two weeks ago, two drones exploded over the Kremlin in an attack that Russia also blamed on Kiev and said was aimed at President Putin.
A building burns after being hit by a UAV in Kiev, Ukraine on May 30, 2023. Photo: Reuters
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kiev was directly involved in targeting Moscow on Tuesday, although he said “we are happy to watch” and predicted more would follow.
In Kiev, the Ukrainian military said it shot down more than 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials said one person was killed and four were injured when debris hit a high-rise apartment building, causing a fire.
Images from Kiev officials and international reporters showed flames engulfing the top of the building. "The attack was massive, coming from different directions, in several waves," said Serhiy Popko, head of Kiev's military administration.
Russia has attacked Kiev 17 times in May with drones or missiles, mostly at night. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the US-supplied Patriot missile defense system was achieving a 100% intercept rate.
Russia has said it is ready to resume stalled peace talks with the Kiev government and welcomes mediation efforts from Brazil and China. However, Ukraine insists a full withdrawal of Russian troops is the only way to end the war.
Bui Huy (according to TASS, Reuters)
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