Moscow has been struck by a second drone attack in less than a week, this time targeting three different areas in Russia’s capital, including a skyscraper in the Moscow City business district.
Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) was temporarily shut down and flights were redirected due to attacks.
The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that air defense systems in the Odintsovo and Narofominsk districts near Moscow neutralized two drones. However, one drone successfully struck the same high-rise building in the capital previously hit during an attack on July 30, 2023.
“The facade at the level of the 21st floor of the building sustained damages,” Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin wrote in a Telegram post on August 1, 2023.
“Emergency services are working at the scene of the incident,” he added.
Despite the frequency of the drone strikes, no casualties have been reported.
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) also attacked a district police department in Russia’s Bryansk region on the same night.
While the Russian defense ministry was quick to place blame on Kyiv, Ukrainian officials have not commented on the latest drone attack. However, the strike could be part of Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive against Russia.
“Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia—to its symbolic centers and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural, and absolutely fair process,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement on July 30, 2023.
The persistent drone strikes have presented a challenge for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had committed to strengthening security in response to the recurring attacks.
As the situation continues to escalate, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev issued a warning on July 31, 2023, saying that Russia would have no choice but to deploy “global nuclear fire” if the Ukrainian counter-offensive was successful.
