Russian authorities once again accused Kyiv of launching drone attacks on Moscow and its vicinity. Among the drones used, one had previously struck a building in the capital a few days ago during a similar assault on Sunday.
The Russian officials have pointed to these escalated attacks on the capital as a reflection of Ukraine’s counteroffensive failures. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned over the weekend that the conflict is gradually spilling back into Russian territory but did not explicitly take responsibility for the drone strikes.
These recurring drone attacks highlight Moscow’s vulnerability as Russia’s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict stretches into its 18th month. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that it successfully shot down two Ukrainian drones near Moscow and also jammed another, causing it to crash into a skyscraper in the Moscow City business district, thereby damaging the building’s facade.
Zelenskyy warns of war after Moscow drone attack
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy issues warning as three drones downed over Moscow, stating that “war” is returning to Russia, reaching its symbolic centers and military bases. During a visit to Ivano-Frankivsk, he emphasized that this process is inevitable, natural, and just. Zelenskyy also expressed that Ukraine is growing stronger.
“Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia — to its symbolic centres and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process,” Zelensky said on a visit to the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk.
Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russia
While Ukraine has not explicitly taken responsibility for specific incidents, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that attacks on Russian territory are an ‘inevitable, natural, and justifiable’ response.
It should be noted that Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Other notable developments include:
- The mayor of Kharkiv, a north-eastern Ukrainian city, reported that a dormitory was damaged in a Russian drone attack that occurred overnight.
- In the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, a Russian missile strike on Monday resulted in the tragic death of six people, including a 10-year-old girl, with 75 others sustaining injuries, according to local officials.
- On the same Monday, in Donetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine under Russian occupation, three individuals lost their lives in Ukrainian shelling, as confirmed by local officials installed by Moscow.
Russia’s war in Ukraine is the most disruptive conflict that Europe has seen since 1945. In Ukraine, there is no question that Putin lit the match when he ordered Russian troops to invade on the fateful February 24, 2022. He probably believed that it would be a short, sharp war with a quick victory and that airborne troops would capture the airport while advancing tanks would seize Kyiv – thereby removing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
