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In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, a Ukrainian drone targeted a luxury residential high-rise in Moscow during the early hours of Monday morning. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties; however, the incident left considerable damage to the building’s exterior. This attack marks the third consecutive night that the Russian capital has faced drone assaults, just days before the nation prepares for a scaled-down Victory Day parade on 9 May, commemorating the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany.
A Night of Chaos in the Capital
Social media platforms were abuzz with unverified footage showing firefighters entering a severely damaged apartment, where debris littered the floor and windows had been blown out. Another clip highlighted drone wreckage scattered across the street, underscoring the attack’s intensity. Moscow’s Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, confirmed that two additional drones were intercepted during this incident, prompting Vnukovo and Domodedovo international airports to halt operations temporarily.
The Russian defence ministry reported the interception of a total of 117 drones targeting various regions across the country from Sunday to Monday. Notably, 60 of these drones aimed at St Petersburg, which local governor Aleksandr Drodzhenko described as a “massive” assault.
Heightened Tensions Ahead of Victory Day
The targeted residential building is situated in an affluent area of south-west Moscow, under 10 kilometres from the Kremlin and the iconic Red Square, the site of Saturday’s military parade. Since the onset of the conflict in February 2022, Ukraine has successfully launched multiple drone strikes against Moscow. Such operations often result in the temporary closure of airports on the city’s outskirts and disrupt air traffic. However, successful drone strikes in close proximity to the city’s core remain relatively uncommon, thanks to the protective measures provided by the Pantsir-S surface-to-air missile system.
Reflecting a growing sense of anxiety in the Kremlin, officials announced a significant scaling back of the Victory Day military parade, citing a “terrorist threat” from Ukraine. This year, for the first time since 2008, there