Mail Online

DRONE BLITZ ON MOSCOW

Putin’s neighbourhood among multiple targets

By Mark Nicol Diplomacy Editor

UKrAINe yesterday used drones to attack one of Moscow’s richest suburbs in a dramatic development to the conflict.

In a move which stunned the Kremlin, a neighbourhood in the russian capital dubbed the ‘Golden Mile’ – where Vladimir Putin has his official residence – was targeted.

residents woke up to the sound of explosions as Ukraine responded to the unprecedented bombardment of Kyiv over recent nights. There were no apparent military or industrial installations in the vicinity.

It was the first time the city has been targeted by multiple drones since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Until yesterday, Ukrainian’s Volodymyr Zelensky has adhered to the requests of allies, such as the UK and the US, not to target russian cities and residential areas.

While there have been previous drone explosions near Moscow, yesterday’s strikes appear to have been the first to hit residential buildings inside the city.

eight Kyiv drones were reported over Moscow and the surrounding area. These were either shot down or intercepted by electronic countermeasures. The buildings struck included a 25-storey residential

‘Raised questions about air defences’

block. Two people received medical treatment but there were no serious injuries.

Three drones were shot down over rublyovka, an exclusive neighbourhood in a forest west of Moscow. The gated communities there are home to many of russia’s economic and political elites, including the president, tycoons and leading government officials.

Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin said the explosions had caused ‘slight damage’, while the Kremlin described it as a ‘terrorist attack’. Putin, who was said to have been at the Kremlin at the time of the strikes, said last night: ‘We have spoken about hitting command centres (in Ukraine). In response the Kyiv regime has chosen a different path, the path of trying to frighten the citizens of russia and of strikes on residential buildings.’

The head of russia’s Wagner mercenary group unleashed a tirade at Putin’s cronies after the attack. In a 70-second rant, Yevgeny Prigozhin was translated as shouting: ‘Smelly scumbags!

Get your a **** up from the offices you’ve been put in to protect this country. You are the ministry of defence. Why the f*** are you allowing these drones to fly to Moscow?’

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack. But it came after a warning by its head of military intelligence, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, that there would be a swift response to recent russian air strikes on Kyiv.

UK security expert rear Admiral Chris Parry said the attack ‘represents that point at which the war in Ukraine will start coming home to the russian public’. he added: ‘These drone strikes are pin-pricks at the moment, but are likely to be a sign of greater weight of attack on russian prestige and elite targets and infrastructure. The Ukrainians will be hoping to create a balance of terror to deter russian missile and drone attacks.’

The attacks have raised questions about russia’s air defences. A senior russian politician, Andrei Kartapolov, said ‘we have a very big country and there will always be a loophole where the drone can fly around air defence systems’.

In Kyiv yesterday, a 33-year-old woman was killed and 13 people injured in russian air attacks.

War In Ukraine

en-gb

2023-05-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/282089166151877

dmg media (UK)