SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 6 December 2023, Wednesday |

Drones downed in Moscow and surrounding region

Russian defenses shot down Ukrainian drones in Moscow and the surrounding region early Wednesday, according to the military ministry and the mayor. There were no recorded casualties.

According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, one drone crashed into a building under construction in Moscow City, a famous corporate complex that has been attacked by drones twice before. Several windows at two adjoining buildings were broken, and emergency services were called.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the drone had been electronically jammed.

 

It blamed the attack on Ukraine and said two other drones were shot down by air defense systems in the Mozhaisk and Khimki areas of the Moscow region.

Moscow airports briefly closed but have now reopened, according to Russian state media.

Ukraine has since early this year sought to take the war into the heart of Russia. It has increasingly targeted Moscow’s military assets behind the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine and at the same time has launched drones against Moscow.

Though drone attacks on Russian soil have occurred almost daily in recent weeks, they have caused little damage and no victims. Ukraine hasn’t acknowledged responsibility for the attempted drone strikes.

 

A US State Department spokesperson said Wednesday that Washington does not encourage or enable attacks inside Russia.

It is up to Ukraine to decide how it chooses to defend itself from the Russian invasion that began in February last year, the State Department spokesperson said, adding Russia could end the war anytime by withdrawing from Ukraine.

    Source:
  • Asharq Al-Awsat