A Ukrainian drone struck a high-rise residential building in an upscale district of Moscow in the early hours of Monday, causing visible damage but no reported casualties [1, 2]. The building is located on Mosfilmovskaya Street, about 6 to 10 kilometers southwest of the Kremlin and Red Square, in a central-west area of the city [1, 2].
Russian authorities reported that two drones were involved in the attack on Moscow, with one drone successfully hitting the building and another intercepted by air defenses [2]. Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the situation as a "terrorist threat" and said drone interceptions continued across Russia in the past 24 hours [1].
Between Sunday and Monday, Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted 117 drones over multiple regions, including 60 over the St Petersburg area [1]. Overnight, Moscow airports suspended operations amid concerns over the drone threat [1]. Several local mobile phone operators announced plans to restrict mobile internet access in Moscow for much of the week for security reasons [1].
The drone strike comes days before Russia’s Victory Day military parade scheduled for May 9, which has been scaled back amid heightened security concerns. The Kremlin announced last week it would reduce the size of the parade and remove heavy military equipment due to a perceived security threat from Ukraine [1, 2].
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the attack, saying, "drones will fly over Red Square. This is telling... We need to keep up the pressure," underscoring Kyiv’s ongoing drone campaign [1].
The precise number of drones involved in the Moscow attack is disputed. Some reports say two drones attempted to strike Moscow, with one intercepted and one hitting the building [2]. Others imply multiple drones were involved but do not specify the total number [1]. The exact distance of the strike site from the Kremlin also varies slightly between 6 to 8 km and up to 10 km according to different sources [1, 2].
Russia is set to hold the Victory Day parade on May 9 amid these tensions, with the event reportedly scaled back for security reasons and without heavy military vehicles [1, 2].
