(Reuters) – Russian air defense forces destroyed a group of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, destroying Moscow for the second consecutive night, prompting the capital’s airport to close, Russian officials said earlier on Tuesday.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said at least 19 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in the way to Moscow “from different directions”.
Three social media sites on the Telegram Messaging app, which links to the Russian Security Service (Baza, Mash and Shot) link – said a drone crashed into an apartment building near a major road in the south of the capital and smashed windows. No casualties were reported.
Subyanin wrote on his own telegram channel that there was no “destruction or casualty” at any location where the debris fell.
“The emergency service experts are at the location where the incident happened,” he said.
Subyanin mentioned that the debris fell on one of the main highways leading to the city, but did not mention the house hit.
Russia’s aviation supervisor Rosaviatsia said in a telegram that it had stopped flights at all four airports serving Moscow. Airports in cities in many areas are also closed.
On Tuesday, Russian air defense forces destroyed four Ukrainian drones in their attitude towards Moscow, causing no damage or injury.
The war began more than three years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine, an act that Moscow has been described as a special military operation. Since then, Kief launched several drone attacks in Moscow. The biggest attack in March killed three people.
Kyiv did not immediately comment on the latest drone attack.
Ukraine said its drone attacks were designed to undermine the infrastructure of Moscow’s overall war effort and respond to continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory, including residential areas and energy infrastructure.
(Reported by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editors by Chris Reese, Stephen Coates and Michael Perry)
