A Ukrainian drone hit an upmarket residential high-rise in Moscow in the early hours of Monday, causing visible damage to the façade of the building but no casualties.
It was the third night in a row the Russian capital came under attack from drones, days before Russia holds a scaled-back parade to mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
An unverified video circulating on social media showed firemen entering a heavily damaged flat covered in dust and rubble, with blown-out windows. Another showed drone debris strewn across the street below.
Two other drones were intercepted, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. Vnukovo and Domodedovo international airports suspended operations overnight.
A total of 117 were intercepted over several Russian regions between Sunday and Monday, the Russian defence ministry said. Sixty alone were aimed at the region of St Petersburg in what the regional governor Aleksandr Drodzhenko said had been a “massive” attack.
The residential building that was hit is located in an upscale neighbourhood in south-west Moscow, less than 10km (six miles) from the Kremlin and Red Square, where Saturday’s parade will be held.
Ukrainian drones have attacked Moscow several times since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The alleged attack, a rare hit inside Moscow’s urban area, comes amid Kyiv’s escalating deep strike campaign deep inside Russia, and less than a week ahead of the May 9 Victory Day Parade, the most high-profile display of Russian power in the calendar.
Videos posted on social media appear to show drone flying at a low altitude towards Moscow just before 1 a.m. local time. Residents reported hearing loud explosions in the capital soon after.
Photos appear to show damage to the upper floor of a high-rise apartment building in the city, reportedly the Mosfilm Tower, a luxury building located west of the city’s center. Drone debris was also seen scattered in the street below as emergency crews work on-scene.
The attack appears to mark one of the deepest strikes into central Moscow’s residential core, having occurred approximately seven kilometers west of the Kremlin and the city’s central Red Square and three kilometers from the Russian Defense Ministry building. The Mosfilm Tower is situated in an elite neighborhood within the city, close to nearby embassies and diplomatic residences.
Russia has previously reported multiple drone strikes against Moscow, though the capital is well-defended against aerial threats. Rarely has the Russian capital sustained damage to civilian infrastructure despite an increase in Ukrainian attacks over the last several months.
In a post to social media, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed the attack, claiming that no casualties had been sustained in the attack.