Ukrainian drones downed near Moscow
Russian air defense systems have intercepted several Ukrainian drones approaching Moscow, the city’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, said on Friday.
Ukraine has been conducting UAV raids deep into Russia for months, often hitting residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. The Russian government labels Ukraine’s strikes as “terrorist attacks” intentionally targeting civilians.
In a post on his Telegram channel, Sobyanin said air defense forces had shot down a drone heading toward Moscow, adding that emergency crews were working at the crash site.
About 40 minutes after the initial report, he said two more Ukrainian drones had been destroyed approaching the capital.
The mayor had reported similar incidents late on Wednesday and early on Thursday. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that a total of ten drones were intercepted and destroyed overnight in Moscow and the surrounding region.
Five districts in Moscow Region were targeted, Governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Friday.
Vorobyov stated there were no casualties, with most drones destroyed mid-air, preventing significant damage, although some private homes sustained damage.
Last month Sobyanin told reporters that the city’s air defense system operates at the “highest level,” intercepting 99.9% of targets. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier emphasized that Russia employs layered air defense systems to minimize the threat of drone attacks.
