Russian authorities claim that Ukraine conducted a "terrorist attack" after a tower housing three Russian government ministries was once again the target of a drone attack, the second one in the last three days.
In a statement, a Ukrainian presidential adviser argued that Moscow should expect more drone attacks and "more war." The tower that was struck by the drones is known as the "IQ quarter" and is where the Ministry of Economic Development, the Digital Ministry, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade are located.
Second Drone Attack in Three Days
Video footage showed that the attack's impact destroyed a section of the building's glass facade, which was high above the ground. In a Telegram post, Darya Levchenko, an adviser to the economy minister, wrote that experts said they are assessing the damage and the state of the infrastructure for the safety of people in the building.
The attack comes as Moscow has been repeatedly under fire by drone assaults since early May when two drones fired at the roof of a building in the Kremlin complex. While the drone attacks have not resulted in any casualties or major damage, they have caused widespread unease in Russia, as per Reuters.
In a statement, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for the Kremlin, said that a threat currently exists and that measures were being taken to address the situation. Ukraine, in particular, has drawn satisfaction from the attacks but has not directly claimed responsibility for them.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Moscow is quickly getting used to a full-fledged war. He added that Russia should expect more unidentified drones, collapse, and civil conflicts.
Residents from Moscow living near the site of the recent attack gave starkly different views on the risks they felt during the incidents. A 67-year-old individual, Alexander Gusev, said it was difficult to feel 100% safe when any place can be struck next.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that two drones were shot down on the outskirts of Moscow, and the region's mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, noted that a third one was responsible for the damage on the 21st floor of the tower, according to the New York Times.
Escalating Tensions Amid the War
While Ukraine has not directly claimed responsibility for attacks within Moscow's territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said that strikes in Russia were a part of Kyiv's strategy in the war.
The video of the latest incident strongly suggested that the drone that attacked the tower was one of the Ukrainian-made long-range models previously identified in various reports. Zelensky previously said that war is "returning to the territory of Russia."
On the other hand, Russian officials claim that the repeated assaults reflect failures in Ukraine's counteroffensive that seeks to recapture Russian-occupied territory. Russian officials also claim that Ukrainian forces attempted to assault two warships in the Black Sea using maritime drones.
The Defense Ministry reported three drones targeting two patrol vessels, Sergei Kotov and Vasily Bykov. They were located roughly 340 kilometers southwest of the Russian-controlled city of Sevastopol. The ministry's report noted that all three drones were destroyed, said ABC News.
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