Ukraine executes substantial drone assault on Moscow, as per the mayor's declaration.
Moscow experienced one of its largest drone assaults in history on Wednesday, as per Moscow's mayor, with Russian defense units taking down at least 10 drones heading towards the city. Some of these drones were downed over Podolsk, a city situated 38 kilometers (24 miles) south of the Kremlin, announced Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Telegram at 4:43 a.m.
The defense ministry's air defense systems are still actively fending off hostile UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) strikes, as revealed by Sobyanin.
This attack on Moscow, according to Sobyanin, is considered one of the biggest attempts exploiting drones. He added that they were continuously monitoring the situation.
The aftermath of the invasion revealed no casualties or damage, according to initial data.
Ukraine has previously launched one or two drones targeting Moscow but with insignificant impact.
Over the past couple of months, Kyiv has ramped up its aerial attacks on Russian territory, claiming the objective is to weaken Moscow's war-related infrastructure. They contend their attacks are retaliation against Russia's persistent strikes on Ukrainian territory.
The scale of this Wednesday's attack surpassed a May 2023 event, during which at least eight drones were systematically downed over the capital, with President Vladimir Putin branding it as a scare tactic and provocation by Kyiv.
Russian authorities usually refrain from revealing the full extent of the damage caused by such attacks, disclosing only drones destroyed by their air defenses.
Both sides are known for underreporting the extent of the harm their operations inflict, unless residential or civilian infrastructure is damaged, or if civilians are killed.
The Moscow assault was part of a broader drone operation conducted by Ukraine, with air defenses also taking down 18 drones over the Bryansk region on the border and separate drones and missiles in other areas, as claimed by Russian officials.
There were no reported casualties or damage following the Bryansk region border attack, as per Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the area, on Telegram.
Russia's RIA news agency reported that two drones were also taken down over the Tula region, on the boundary with the Moscow region.
Elsewhere, Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region, reported that an intercepted Ukraine-launched missile sustained no harm over their territory, with no injuries reported.
Despite multiple attempts to contact Ukraine for confirmation, there was no immediate response.
In recent months, Kyiv has intensified its aerial assaults on Russian territory, stating its goal is to impair Moscow's war-related infrastructure. They claim their attacks are retaliatory, given Russia's persistent strikes on Ukrainian territory.
The international community is closely watching these escalating drone attacks in Europe, particularly those targeting Moscow.
This wave of drone attacks against Russia can be seen as part of a broader conflict between Russia and Ukraine, taking place on a global stage, with Europe as a key battleground.
