MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Tuesday that Ukraine had launched a drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region that disrupted flights at one of the capital’s main airports.
At least three drones were intercepted in the skies over the Moscow region – including two just 30 km (19 miles) southwest of the Kremlin, Russian news agencies said. One drone was detected in the neighbouring Kaluga region.
Landings and takeoffs at Moscow’s Vnukovo were restricted for several hours early on Tuesday before normal operations resumed after 0500 GMT. A number of flights were diverted on their approach to other airports.
“The Kyiv regime’s attempt to attack an area where civilian infrastructure is located, including the airport, which incidentally also receives foreign flights, is yet another act of terrorism,” Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova said.
“The international community should realize that the United States, Britain, France – permanent members of the UN Security Council – are financing a terrorist regime,” she said.
There was no immediate comment from Kyiv. Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine.
“At this moment, the attacks have been repelled by air defence forces,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his Telegram messaging channel. “All detected drones have been eliminated.”
There were no casualties reported, he added.
One drone was shot down in the area of the town of Kubinka, some 63 km (40 miles) west of Moscow, RIA reported. A Russian air base is near Kubinka.
Two drones were shot down near the village of Valuevo, the RIA news agency reported. The village is about 30 km (19 miles) southwest of the Kremlin. One was in the Kaluga region, which borders the Moscow region.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
