Moscow Attacked: Is WW3 Here?

Knowledge Nuggets:

• The Russian capital, Moscow, faced an unprecedented drone assault on Tuesday morning, deemed a “terrorist attack” by the Kremlin.
• The Ministry of Defence reported eight unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted, with three neutralized by electronic countermeasures and five by anti-aircraft fire.
• Though Ukraine officially denied involvement, they expressed satisfaction at the event. Meanwhile, multiple regions in Ukraine continue to suffer from frequent drone attacks, causing civilian casualties.

Tuesday morning brought an unexpected twist to Russia’s prolonged conflict with Ukraine, as Moscow awakened to the alarming sound of explosions across the city. A fleet of drones, nearly eight in number according to reports, made an audacious assault on the capital, an event decried as a “terrorist attack” by the Kremlin.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence promptly responded to the aerial onslaught. Through a combination of electronic countermeasures and anti-aircraft fire, they claim to have neutralized all the drones involved in the attack. Despite this swift response, some buildings in Moscow bore the brunt of the aggression, either from drones that managed to bypass the defensive measures or from the ensuing wreckage.

The choice of weaponry in this event bears an uncanny resemblance to the almost-nightly drone attacks that Russia has been launching against Ukraine. Despite Ukraine’s official denial of involvement, they expressed a certain satisfaction at this unexpected turn of events.

State media, in a wave of post-incident reports, asserted there were no casualties and minimal damage to buildings in the city. However, images surfacing on social and local media paint a slightly different picture, with visible signs of fire damage, blown-out windows, and damaged facades.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian front continues to be battered by recurring waves of air assaults, including drone strikes and shelling. In the last 24 hours, ten different regions of the country have reportedly been attacked by Russian forces, leading to civilian casualties and extensive damage.

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