- Russian air defense successfully repels significant aerial assault involving drones around Moscow.
Russian anti-air defenses have successfully taken down numerous drones during one of Ukraine's largest aerial assaults on Moscow, as per official reports. Over a dozen drones were brought down over the Russian capital and its surrounding areas, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described this incident as one of the most significant attempts to bombard Moscow with drones thus far. Previously, he had reported that no damage or casualties had resulted from these attacks.
According to Sobyanin, several drones crashed in the Podolsk district, positioned merely a few dozens of kilometers south of Moscow's outskirts. He further revealed that ten drones were intercepted en route to Moscow. At the time, the Ukrainian military had not provided any independent data or statements regarding this matter.
Additional drones were also reportedly shot down in the Tula and Bryansk regions, according to the Russian news agency TASS. Further details regarding the type of aircraft brought down were not disclosed. Meanwhile, a missile was reportedly taken down in the southern Russian region of Rostov.
Daily Drone Attacks on Moscow are Uncommon
Aerial attacks on Moscow are relatively uncommon. In May, for instance, Russia reported the downing of a drone outside the capital, resulting in brief disruptions at both Moscow airports.
The Ukrainian General Staff claimed that a Russian S-300 air defense system in the Rostov region had been targeted. There were explosions at the designated site, and the precision of the strike is currently under analysis. Russia has frequently utilized this system, designed to neutralize airborne threats, to bombard ground targets in Ukraine. Buildings are destroyed, and the civilian population is put in fear, as per the statement. However, these claims could not be independently verified.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has been subjected to nightly air raids, with important energy infrastructure and other targets being targeted. Explosions were also reported in the western Ukrainian region of Chmelnytskyi during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday. Furthermore, alarm systems activated in several parts of the country early Wednesday due to the presence of Russian drones in the area.
The European Union expresses concern over the escalating drone attacks against Moscow, calling for de-escalation and adherence to international law. Despite the interceptions by Russian anti-air defenses, continued drone attacks on Russian territories, such as the recent incident in Rostov, pose a threat to civilian safety.
