Russia Thwarts Ukrainian Drone Attack on Moscow, Says City Mayor

On August 20, Russian forces were engaged in repelling a significant drone attack from Ukraine targeting Moscow. Officials noted that this assault ranks among the largest designed to hit the capital amidst the ongoing conflict.

The city’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, reported that a dozen drones aimed at Moscow were intercepted and destroyed by Russia’s air defense forces, although the total number of drones deployed remains unclear.

“This marks one of the most significant attempts to assault Moscow using drones that we’ve seen to date,” Sobyanin shared via the Telegram platform. “We are continuously monitoring the situation.”

He added that two additional drones were neutralized early Wednesday following the overnight destruction of ten others.

“The air defense systems under the Ministry of Defense are actively protecting against the enemy drone threat,” he reported.

Initial assessments indicate that there were no injuries or damages from any falling debris resulting from the downed drones.

Ukraine has conducted drone strikes on Moscow previously. In May 2023, for instance, Russia successfully intercepted eight unmanned aerial vehicles from Kyiv, which the Kremlin condemned as a “terrorist attack” against the city, leading to damages in several buildings.

This latest drone assault seems to be part of a broader operation that also targeted Bryansk Oblast, located approximately 370 miles southwest of Moscow and bordering Ukraine. Reports suggest that around 18 drones were involved in this particular initiative.

Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz commented on Telegram that no significant damage or casualties resulted from the drone strike in the region.

The drone attacks are occurring as Ukraine makes strides in its cross-border offensive into Russia’s Kursk region.

This operation was initiated on August 6, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighting its objective to establish a “buffer zone” between Ukraine and Russia.