Russia’s Defense Ministry said it shot down two Ukrainian drones over Moscow region early Tuesday and electronically jammed a third one which crashed into the same office tower in Moscow’s commercial district that was hit two days ago.
While there were no reports of injuries in the attack, the jammed drone damaged the facade of the building on the 21st floor, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. This floor is occupied by the Economy Ministry.
Ukraine hasn’t commented. It’s the third drone attack on the Russian capital in just over a week, following strikes that damaged the tower in the Moscow City business district on Sunday and the downing of two unmanned aircraft that crashed into buildings on July 24.
Russian authorities briefly closed Vnukovo airport in southwest Moscow for the third time in a month in response to Tuesday’s incident, before later resuming regular operations.
President Vladimir Putin ordered officials to strengthen air defenses around Moscow in May after the Defense Ministry said it downed eight drones attempting to strike the capital, the biggest attack on the city since Russia began its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
(Updates with detail throughout)
