MOSCOW(AP)-Russian air defences successfully intercepted and neutralized a drone attack on Moscow, temporarily shutting down one of the city’s international airports. The latest incident follows an earlier similar raid on the Russian capital and is the first confirmed invasion of the city since the failed uprising led by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin 11 days ago. attack. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the attack, but Western analysis suggests Russia has succeeded in delaying a recently launched counteroffensive in Kiev.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has confirmed that four of the five drones were shot down by an air defense facility outside Moscow. A fifth drone was intercepted by electronic warfare and forced to land. Fortunately, no one was injured or damaged in the incident, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. However, the Russian military’s claim to have shot down all the drones, consistent with previous attacks on Moscow, could not be independently verified.
In response to the drone attack, authorities temporarily restricted flights at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport and diverted them to two other major airports in the city. Vnukovo Airport, about 15 kilometers southwest of Moscow, was affected by security measures. Two daring drone strikes have already shook the Russian capital in May, making them Kiev’s most serious attacks on Russian territory. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are actively spying on Russian defenses in their southern and eastern regions as part of their counteroffensive strategy. The secretary of the Ukrainian Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said the fighting has been particularly fruitful in recent days, noting that the military is focused on destroying Russian equipment and personnel. However, no evidence has been presented to independently verify these claims.
Ukrainian forces face numerous obstacles, including minefields, anti-tank pits and multi-layered defense lines reportedly as deep as 20km in some areas. Despite these challenges, Western analysts believe that even a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive would not end the war that began with Russia’s all-out invasion in February 2022. Meanwhile, Russia continues to fire missiles and drones deep behind the front lines. The mayor of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine, Oleksandr Lysenko, said on Monday that three people were killed and 21 injured in a Russian drone strike that damaged two apartment buildings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the damage suffered by the regional headquarters of the Ukrainian Security Service and stressed the need to improve air defense systems to protect against Russian attacks.
A recent drone attack on Moscow was successfully thwarted by Russian air defenses, resulting in a temporary suspension of flights at Vnukovo airport. The incident marks the first confirmed attack on the city since the failed rebellion led by Mercenary Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. Russian authorities have confirmed the downing of four drones and the destruction of a fifth, but independent verification remains a challenge. The ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive has encountered obstacles such as minefields and defenses in depth, but Western analysts doubt that this will lead to an immediate end to the war. Meanwhile, Russia continues to launch missiles and drone strikes deep into Ukrainian territory.
