Russia has accused Ukraine of being behind the early Monday morning drone attack that damaged at least two structures in Moscow.
The Russian defense ministry reported that two drones were “suppressed and crashed,” adding that no casualties were reported.
The Russian state-owned news agency Tass reported that a drone crashed near the defense ministry.
However, Ukrainian officials rarely claim responsibility for attacks within Russia.
In a separate development, Russian-installed officials ordered the evacuation of one district of Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, following an alleged overnight drone attack by Ukraine.
Regional administrator Sergei Aksenov, who was appointed by the Kremlin, stated that a munitions depot was destroyed in the northern Dzhankoi region, and residents of neighboring villages were ordered to evacuate. He reported that there were no casualties.
In the meantime, Ukraine reported that four people were injured and a grain hangar was destroyed as a result of nocturnal Russian drone attacks on two ports on the River Danube, an alternative export route to the Black Sea in the Odesa region in the south of the country.
Since Russia’s withdrawal from a historic grain deal a week ago, Russia has launched near-constant attacks on the Odesa region, where Ukraine’s main Black Sea ports are located.
Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow’s mayor, reported drone strikes on “two non-residential” structures around 4:00 local time (01:00 GMT). In a social media post, he indicated that the buildings had not sustained significant damage.
State news agencies reported drone components found 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from the defence ministry.
“An attempt by the Kyiv regime to commit a terrorist act using two drones against Moscow-based targets was foiled,” the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.
According to Russian news agencies, drone debris was also discovered along the city’s Komsomolsky Avenue. The Moscow transport agency tweeted on Telegram that the route was blocked, with photographs of emergency workers.
On Likhachev Avenue, where a high-rise office block was damaged, traffic was also halted. The top of the structure was lacking windows, according to footage broadcast on the military Zvezda TV channel.
In recent months, Moscow has accused Ukraine of numerous drone attacks on its territory.
Russia claimed Ukraine attacked Moscow with a drone earlier this month, diverting aircraft from Vnukovo International Airport. Ukraine did not admit liability.
In May, Kyiv denied a drone attack on the Kremlin, which Russia called an attempt to kill President Vladimir Putin.
Russia targeted Odessa with missile strikes on Sunday, destroying the historic Transfiguration Cathedral.
Unesco was “deeply dismayed and condemns in the strongest terms” the attack on Odesa’s historic centre.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine threatened retaliation for the assault.
During his nightly address from Kyiv, he declared, “They will certainly feel this.” “The target of these missiles is not limited to cities, localities, or individuals. Their objective is humanity and the very foundations of European culture.”
