Ukrainian Drones Strike Moscow

In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian drones launched strikes on affluent districts of Moscow, as reported by Russian authorities. This daring attack has been labeled by one politician as the most perilous since World War Two. Meanwhile, Kyiv experienced air attacks for the third time within a 24-hour period.

While the majority of the conflict has thus far been confined to Ukrainian territory since Russia deployed troops there in February of the previous year, Moscow has reported sporadic attacks on its own soil, including an alleged assassination attempt targeting President Vladimir Putin. The latest incident involved an early morning raid, targeting exclusive areas of Moscow where Putin and other elites reside. Putin, who was present in the Kremlin at the time, was promptly briefed on the attack.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have successfully intercepted or diverted eight drones sent by Kyiv, purportedly intended to target civilians. However, Baza, a Telegram channel associated with security services, suggested that more than 25 drones were involved in the operation. The attack resulted in two injuries, and certain residential buildings had to be temporarily evacuated in Moscow. Witnesses described hearing loud explosions followed by the scent of petrol, with some capturing footage of a drone being shot down, emitting a plume of smoke.

Lawmaker Maxim Ivanov described this assault as the most severe on Moscow since the days of Nazi occupation, emphasizing that Russians can no longer ignore the “new reality.” Just earlier this month, two drones exploded over the Kremlin in an attack that was also attributed to Kyiv, with Russia claiming it was specifically aimed at Putin.

While Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied direct involvement in Tuesday’s attacks, he did express satisfaction in witnessing them and predicted more to come. The conflict has reached a stalemate in 2023, with Russian forces deeply entrenched in several eastern regions of Ukraine. The war has inflicted significant casualties, displaced millions, reduced cities to ruins, and wreaked havoc on the global economy.

According to Kyiv, Russia’s recent attacks claimed the lives of four individuals in Ukraine, leaving 34 wounded, including two children. In a tragic incident, a 33-year-old woman perished on her balcony in Kyiv when debris from a Russian projectile struck a high-rise building. Two upper floors were destroyed, and there are fears that people may still be trapped under the rubble, as flames engulfed the structure’s top.

Russia has targeted Kyiv on 17 occasions throughout May, employing drones and missiles, predominantly during the cover of night, seemingly aiming to erode morale. Nevertheless, Ukraine asserts that its U.S.-supplied Patriot anti-missile defenses have achieved a remarkable 100% interception rate, providing some reassurance to the population.

Kyiv has now vowed to launch a counter-offensive supported by Western weaponry, with the objective of liberating the territories currently under Russian occupation. The Ukrainian government intends to reclaim the areas seized by Moscow during its self-declared “special military operation” aimed at “denazifying” Ukraine, as they assert.

As tensions continue to rise and the conflict enters a critical phase, the world watches with bated breath, hoping for a peaceful resolution that can bring stability and security to the region.