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Drone hits upscale Moscow apartment building
An early-morning drone attack struck a luxury residential tower in southwest Moscow on Monday, damaging the building's exterior but causing no injuries, according to Russian officials.
The incident marked the third consecutive night of drone assaults on the Russian capital, occurring days before a reduced-scale Victory Day parade commemorating the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany.
Extent of damage and response
Social media footage showed firefighters entering an apartment filled with debris and dust, its windows shattered. Another clip depicted drone wreckage scattered across the street below the high-rise, located in an affluent neighborhood less than 10 km from the Kremlin.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that two additional drones were intercepted. Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports suspended overnight operations following the attacks.
Wider drone interceptions across Russia
The Russian defense ministry stated that 117 drones were intercepted between Sunday and Monday across multiple regions. St. Petersburg faced a "massive" assault, with 60 drones downed, according to regional governor Aleksandr Drozdenko.
Security measures ahead of Victory Day
In response to the heightened threat, the Kremlin announced last week that this year's Red Square parade would exclude armored vehicles and missile systems for the first time since 2008. The decision cited a "terrorist threat" from Ukraine.
Russian mobile operators also restricted mobile internet access in Moscow for much of the week, citing security concerns, local media reported.
Ukraine's long-range drone capabilities
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked that the Kremlin's fear of drones flying over Red Square was "telling" and emphasized the need to "keep up the pressure."
Since the war began in February 2022, Ukraine has developed an arsenal of long-range drones capable of striking targets hundreds of miles inside Russia. These drones frequently target energy infrastructure and oil refineries to disrupt Russian production and revenue.
Zelensky announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had struck three Russian oil tankers, a cruise-missile carrier warship, and a patrol boat in separate attacks on two Russian ports. The tankers were part of Russia's "shadow fleet," used to bypass Western sanctions.
Ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine
While Ukraine intensifies its drone campaign, Russia continues daily aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities. On Monday, Ukrainian authorities reported that a missile strike near Kharkiv killed four people and injured 18 others.
