Game of Drones for Second Night in Moscow

Moscow experienced a second night of explosions as armed kamikaze drones and air defense systems boomed overhead.

At least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) penetrated defenses at around 3 o’clock in the morning and hit the 17th floor of an office building in the “Moscow City” financial precinct of Russia’s capital – the same building and district targeted the night before, according to Russian media outlets.

While Ukrainian officials do not confirm or deny strikes inside Russia, at least three different Ukrainian-made drones have been used in attacks inside Russia, including Moscow, reported The New York Times.

“The three drones identified by The Times – the Bober [Ukrainian for “beaver” – ed.), the UJ-22 Airborne and a third model with an undetermined name – have all been used to hit targets in Russia, including Moscow, and the attacks have been increasing, based on a tally geolocated visuals and local reports,” NYT wrote.

“The number of kamikaze drones flown into Russia between May and July was double the total for all of 2022,” NYT added. “In Moscow alone, there have been six strikes since the May 3 attack on the Kremlin, including one on Sunday [plus last night’s strike – ed.], in the city’s financial district.”

Last night, Russian officials, Moscow media, and pro-Russian Telegram channels stated that three drones had been deployed against the city. They claimed that two had been destroyed in flight.

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Regarding the third, the Russian Ministry for Defense said, “another drone was suppressed by electronic warfare and, having lost control, crashed on the territory of the ‘Moscow City’ non-residential building complex.”

The Dva Mayory Telegram channel stated that the building is home to several Russian Ministries, including Ministry of Economic Development on the 21st floor.

Moscow’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed that the building was the same one that was struck the previous evening.

Ukrainian milbloggers mocked the Russian statements. “We have now seen how ‘Moscow City’ shot down a UAV. The attack was repelled by the 21st floor, where the Ministry of Economic Development is located!” one Telegram channel posted.

Vnukovo airport was temporarily closed for arrivals and departures. No casualties were reported because of the attack.

Moscow taxi drivers saw a surge in orders from “Moscow City” and from the western part of the city in general after the UAV attack.

Russian bloggers and social media also exploded with the news, and shared strong concerns about Russia’s newly realized vulnerabilities.

A leading pro-Russian milblogger complained about the social and military impact of Ukrainian missile and drone strikes on his Telegram channel.

“Calling people and ‘guaranteeing their protection’ in the reach of strike UAVs, PrSM and Storm Shadow missiles, it’s just too much!!! We in Moscow cancel many events because we cannot be sure about safety… The only place where you can conditionally provide people with security in Zaporozhzhia is a well-buried nuclear bunker, but not a military training ground,” it said.

Another Russian Telegram channel said that its readers’ reactions to the drone strikes had changed.

“Terrorist attacks of the enemy are no longer perceived as something out of the ordinary…. At the same time, a change in people's attitudes towards the conduct of military operations by the enemy in order to achieve a psychological effect does not remove questions about the sufficiency of the applied anti-terrorist and anti-sabotage measures,” it said.

Readkova, one of the most cited pro-Kremlin / ultra-nationalist “media” outlets in Russia, predicted that “Kyiv plans an ‘unprecedented attack’ on Moscow, timed to coincide with Ukraine’s Independence Day.”

“Since a real disaster is taking place at the front near Kyiv, Bankova [Ukraine’s Presidential administration – ed.] decided to return to their favorite pastime: threatening the civilian population of Russian cities and ‘keeping up the morale’ of their own citizens… This time, country 404 is threatening to strike at Russia on the day of Ukrainian ‘independence’,” it wrote.

Yesterday, Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin stated that Ukraine was becoming the largest manufacturer of drones in the world.