Ukraine struck the Moscow region on Tuesday in its biggest drone attack so far on the Russian capital, killing at least one woman, wrecking dozens of homes and forcing about 50 flights to be diverted from airports around Moscow.
Russia, the world’s biggest nuclear power, said it had destroyed at least 20 Ukrainian attack drones as they swarmed over the Moscow region, which has a population of more than 21 million, and 124 more over eight other regions.
At least one person was killed near Moscow, Russian authorities said.
Three of Moscow’s four airports were closed for more than six hours and almost 50 flights were diverted.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the drone attack was another reminder of the real nature of Ukraine's political leadership, which he said was made up of Russia’s enemies.
“There is no way that night-time strikes on residential suburbs can be associated with military action, said Peskov.
“The Kyiv regime continues to demonstrate its nature. They are our enemies and we must continue the special military operation to protect ourselves from such actions,” he said,using the expression Moscow uses to describe its war in Ukraine.
Kyiv said Russia, which sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, had attacked it overnight with 46 drones, of which 38 were destroyed.
The drone attacks on Russia damaged high-rise apartment buildings in the Ramenskoye district, setting flats on fire, residents told Reuters.
A 46-year-old woman was killed and three people were wounded in Ramenskoye, Moscow regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said.
Residents said they awoke to blasts and fire. “I looked at the window and saw a ball of fire,” Alexander Li, a resident of the district said.
Georgy, a resident who declined to give his surname, said he heard a drone buzzing outside his building in the early hours.
“I drew back the curtain and it hit the building right before my eyes. I took my family and we ran outside.”
The Ramenskoye district, 50km southeast ofthe Kremlin, has a population of a quarter of a million, according to official data.
More than 70 drones were also downed over Russia's Bryanskregion and tens more over other regions, Russia’s defence ministry said.
As Russia advances in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv has taken the war to Russia with a cross-border attack into Russia’s western Kursk region.
Cape Times