Moscow, Russia

Russian authorities announced that they successfully thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack aimed at Moscow on Sunday. This marks the second such occurrence within a span of two days as Kyiv continues its counteroffensive efforts. Throughout the ongoing conflict, both Russia and Ukraine have reported frequent incursions by drones. Notably, instances of drone strikes on Russian territory have been on the rise.

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Ukrainian attempt thwarted

The Russian Defence Ministry issued a statement detailing the incident. "At around 4:00 a.m. (01:00 GMT), an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack by drone on infrastructure in Moscow and the Moscow region was thwarted," the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.

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The drone, headed towards Moscow, was destroyed with the use of "electronic warfare," causing it to lose control and crash in an uninhabited area. Fortunately, there were no casualties or damages reported.

Flight disruptions

Moscow's Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, thanked Russia's military for their prompt action. 

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Russia's aviation agency, Rosaviatsia, informed that flights to the Domodedovo and Vnukovo international airports experienced temporary limitations during the night, but operations returned to normalcy subsequently, as reported by RIA Novosti news agency.

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A separate Ukrainian drone attack targeted a railway station in Kursk, a city in western Russia, resulting in injuries to five individuals. The regional governor confirmed the incident on early Sunday. In the southern Rostov region, adjacent to Ukraine's border, Russian air defense systems intercepted two Ukrainian drones, according to the governor.

Escalation amidst ongoing conflict

This recent drone attack near Moscow follows a missile strike by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, causing casualties and injuries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to respond decisively to what he labeled a "terrorist attack" by Russia, asserting that there would be a tangible response.

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In a statement, the United Nations' humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine condemned the Russian missile attack on Chernihiv's city centre and called it "heinous". The UN official also called for Moscow to end strikes on "populated areas".

"It is heinous to attack the main square of a large city, in the morning, while people are out walking, some going to church to celebrate a religious day for many Ukrainians," said Denise Brown, UN official for Ukraine, in an online statement, referring to the Orthodox holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord. 

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

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