Ukraine strikes Moscow in biggest drone attack yet

In its biggest drone attack so far, Ukraine on Tuesday (September 10) targeted the Russian capital, killing at least one and destroying scores of homes in the region and forcing around 50 flights to be diverted from airports around Moscow.

In retaliation, Russia said it had destroyed at least 20 Ukrainian attack drones as they swarmed over the Moscow region, apart from 124 more over eight other regions, according to Reuters.

At least one person was killed near Moscow, Russian authorities said. Three of Moscow's four airports were closed for more than six hours and almost 50 flights were diverted.

Russia slams Ukraine for attack

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the drone attack was another reminder of the real nature of Ukraine's political leadership, which he said was made up of Russia’s enemies.

“There is no way that night time strikes on residential neighbourhoods can be associated with military action,” said Peskov.

“The Kyiv regime continues to demonstrate its nature. They are our enemies and we must continue the special military operation to protect ourselves from such actions,” he said, using the expression Moscow uses to describe its war in Ukraine.

On the other hand, Kyiv said Russia had attacked it overnight with 46 drones, of which 38 were destroyed.

High-rise buildings targeted

The drone attacks on Russia caused damage to high-rise apartment buildings in the Ramenskoye district of the Moscow region, setting flats on fire, residents told Reuters.

A 46-year-old woman was killed and three people were wounded in Ramenskoye, said Moscow regional governor Andrei Vorobyov.

“I looked at the window and saw a ball of fire,” Alexander Li, a resident of the district told Reuters. “The window got blown out by the shockwave.”

Another said he heard a drone buzzing outside his building in the early hours. “I drew back the curtain and it hit the building right before my eyes, I saw it all,” he said. “I took my family and we ran outside.”

More than 70 drones were also downed over Russia's Bryansk region and tens more over other regions, Russia’s defence ministry said. There was no damage or casualties reported there.

As Russia advances in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv has taken the war to Russia with a cross-border attack into Russia’s western Kursk region that began on August 6 and by carrying out increasingly large drone attacks deep into Russian territory.