Drone attack hits Moscow office tower in ongoing conflict

A Ukrainian drone targeted and struck an office tower in Moscow, resulting in damage to the facade on the 21st floor. This incident occurred on Tuesday, and it followed a previous attack on the same tower over the weekend. Russian officials reported that several other drones were also downed during the attempted flight to Moscow.

Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, confirmed the drone strike, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene to assess the situation.

The attack on Sunday had already raised concerns as Ukrainian drones targeted the capital, damaging two office towers in the commercial development area known as Moscow-City. In response to Tuesday’s attack, Russia’s defense ministry pointed fingers at Ukraine, stating that multiple facilities in the Moscow region were targeted.

According to the ministry’s statement, two Ukrainian drones were destroyed by air defense systems over the Odintsovo and Narofominsk districts of the Moscow region. Another drone was reportedly suppressed by electronic warfare, leading to a loss of control and a crash in the Moscow-City complex.

Following the drone attack, Vnukovo international airport in Moscow was temporarily closed, affecting arrivals and departures. However, operations later resumed back to normal, as reported by the TASS state news agency.

This is not the first time that Moscow has experienced such attacks during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The capital and its surrounding areas, located approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the Ukrainian border, had rarely been targeted until this year when a series of drone assaults occurred, including attacks on the Kremlin and Russian towns near the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rig also faced a missile strike on a residential building, resulting in six fatalities and several injuries. President Zelensky had previously warned that war was coming to Russia, asserting that it was an inevitable and fair process.

The Kremlin dismissed the recent strikes on Moscow as acts of desperation by Ukraine following setbacks on the battlefield. While Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in June, it has faced significant resistance from Russian forces at the frontline, making only modest advancements. The situation remains tense as both sides continue to engage in the conflict.