Moscow Closes Airspace Amid New Drone Attack

Russia temporarily closed airspace over Moscow on Tuesday after an alleged drone attack in the region.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defense systems had repelled a drone attack in the city's Odintsovo district. Local news outlet MSK1.RU reported that the airspace was closed around Moscow's Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports.

"According to preliminary data, there was no damage or casualties at the site where the debris fell. Emergency services are working at the scene," Sobyanin wrote on his Telegram channel.

Newsweek reached out to Russia's Defense Ministry via email for comment.

Russia has been hit with waves of drone strikes this year, with attacks reaching the capital, Moscow. Many strikes have targeted ammunition depots and warehouses. Ukraine rarely claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia, and Kyiv has not officially commented on the latest incident.

The Kremlin has previously accused Kyiv of attempting to carry out terrorist acts using drones on Russian soil. An attack on Moscow on May 30 marked the first time the city was hit by a large-scale drone strike since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Targets in that incident included a residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the mansions of his entourage on Rublyovka. Putin told Russia's State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) at the time that he was concerned the drone attacks were an attempt by Ukraine to evoke a response from Russia.

"They are provoking us into taking mirror actions. We will see what to do about it," the Russian leader said.

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for that attack.

Russia was targeted in a large-scale drone attack in November, when authorities reported downing 24 drones across at least four regions, including Moscow.

Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda cited an unidentified source in the country's military intelligence as saying that the strikes were planned after Russia struck Kyiv in an earlier drone assault.

Airspace was closed over Moscow after November's attack.

Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, told the Kyiv Post in July that drone attacks in Russia will continue and increase in scale.

Yusov said strikes on the key facilities of Russia's security sector in Moscow "testify to the fact that the Putin regime is unable to fully control the sky even for the protection of the most important facilities."

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Update 12/19/23, 9:50 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

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