Russia blames Ukraine for drone ‘terrorist assault’ on Moscow
Moscow got here beneath repeated drone assault in what consultants billed a significant shift within the dynamic of its warfare with Ukraine.
At least two folks had been injured and a lot of buildings had been broken in a raid by as much as eight unmanned bombers which Russia described as a “terrorist attack”.
Ukraine denied duty however the assault got here simply days after its chief intelligence officer warned of retaliation for airborne strikes on Kyiv.
One girl was killed and several other different folks injured when Russia bombarded the Ukrainian capital within the early hours of at the moment.
Downing Street denied that British-supplied weapons had been used within the Moscow raid.
READ MORE: Moscow drone attack could ‘backfire’ and ‘cast doubt’ on Putin’s war promises
Natia Seskuria, an knowledgeable in Russian safety at London’s Royal United Services Institute, mentioned the incident might undermine Vladimir Putin’s home help.
She instructed the BBC: “It raises a lot of insecurities despite the propaganda which we know has been working 24/7 to justify the Russian war effort.
“These attacks are impossible to be hidden. We know that after the mobilisations, Russians have not been as enthusiastic as Putin wanted them to be.”
She added: “We know Ukraine has pledged to the West it will not use their weapons on Russia territory.
“So long as the West remains united, Ukraine will remain committed to this.”
Putin accused Ukraine of attempting to “frighten” Russia by aiming for “civilian targets”.
He added: “Moscow’s air defence system worked normally, satisfactorily, although there is some work to do.”
Russia’s defence ministry accused President Volodymir Zelensky of a “terrorist attack” however claimed 5 drones had been shot down and three veered astray.
Two folks had been handled for accidents, two high-rise condo blocks had been evacuated and another buildings suffered “insignificant damage”.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned earlier that the President was again at work and being briefed on the assaults.
Although the Kremlin itself got here beneath drone assault earlier this month, yesterday’s raid was extra audacious and doubtlessly damaging.
It adopted final week’s cross-border incursions into the Belgorod area by members of two anti-Putin navy teams.
In the run-up to yesterday’s developments, General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s navy intelligence, warned Russia would “regret” its aggression.
In Kyiv, the lady killed had been on her balcony within the Holosiiv district watching drones when she was caught by an assault.
The high-rise in the identical district caught hearth after being hit by particles or from missiles fired by the Ukrainian air defences.
Kyiv’s Military Administration mentioned two higher flooring had been destroyed and residents feared to be trapped beneath rubble.
In complete, 29 out of 31 Shahed drones had been destroyed because the air was stuffed with their buzzing and explosions. Afterwards the streets had been suffering from burned-out vehicles.
Resident Valeriya Oreshko mentioned the entire metropolis was on edge, including: “You are happy that you are alive, but think about what will happen next.”
Peter Stano, EC international affairs spokesman, mentioned the raid exhibits Putin continued to “indiscriminately terrorise” its neighbour in a “heinous and barbaric way”.