Russia denounces a record drone attack against Moscow and fears a Ukrainian counter-offensive

MoscowDespite Vladimir Putin's efforts to conceal the ravages of the war in Ukraine from residents of major cities, the conflict has once again become a part of daily life for Muscovites in recent hours. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has denounced the largest Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow since the start of the invasion. According to him, nearly 250 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down as they headed toward the capital. Russian military analysts believe this is an aerial escalation by Kyiv, while independent observers warn that the Kremlin may be exaggerating the threat to justify its actions. internet outages within the country and to convince Donald Trump of Volodymyr Zelensky's unwillingness to reach a peace agreement.

Neither the destroyed drones nor their wreckage caused any damage in Moscow, unlike in the border regions of Belgorod and Bryansk, where one person was killed and eight others injured early Tuesday morning. The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported an unusually high number of drones shot down across the country: 421. Media outlets close to the security forces claim that explosions were heard on the outskirts of the country's main city, but exiled analysts are surprised that no images have surfaced. Military vehicles, loaded with mobile anti-aircraft defenses, have been seen again parked on bridges near the Kremlin, and soldiers have been scanning the sky for drones. This is one of the usual indicators that the possibility of an attack is real, as is the closure of airports, which has also occurred but for fewer hours than in other, seemingly less intense, incidents.

In statements to the official newspaper Moskovsky KomsomoletsGeneral Vladimir Popov claims that this wave of bombings could be "a wake-up call." He believes the Ukrainian army is launching them to gather intelligence on the location and operation of anti-aircraft batteries. He ventures to say that they are "probably" using "elements of artificial intelligence" provided by France and the UK, and that this foreshadows a "powerful offensive, not by land, but by air."

Popov admits that Ukraine is improving its capabilities and that no system guarantees the 100% destruction of drones. According to Russian media, Kyiv is sending Ukrainian-made drones in swarms of eight to ten aircraft, capable of carrying up to 60 kilograms of explosives and traveling 1,400 kilometers. Currently, less than 500 kilometers separate the border of Kyiv-controlled Ukraine from Moscow. "There is no region in Russia that can feel safe," warned Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu.

Unjustified alarmism

As a result of this alarmism, the Kremlin has further expanded internet outages in the capital. While they have affected the most central districts for almost two weeks, during the threat, the disconnection has also spread to outlying neighborhoods. The Russian government, on the one hand, exaggerates the severity of the incidents to convince citizens of the need for the restrictions and, on the other hand, is becoming increasingly less precise in applying these network blocks.

The authorities' zeal has intensified since Friday, when Putin urged them to reinforce the security of Russia's critical infrastructure. For example, the opposition media outlet Agentstvo has gained access to a draft proposal to create a three-kilometer security zone around the Russian president's residence in Sochi, on the Black Sea.

The Kremlin is trying to paint an unrealistic picture of constant threat so that Trump will increase pressure on Zelensky and force him to sign an agreement on Russian terms. "The Kyiv regime continues its futile resistance instead of taking the necessary responsible steps and paving the way for the peace process to continue," said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

A drone in Maidan

Meanwhile, the Russian army is showing no mercy to Ukrainian cities. In the last 24 hours, Russian drones have killed at least 11 people and wounded 55, all in eastern regions near the front lines. On Monday, the wreckage of a drone even crashed into Maidan Square, in the heart of Kyiv, for the first time since the beginning of the war. The Kremlin insists that Russia is determined to continue the "special military operation" and to achieve its objectives, if necessary, by force. Peskov also dismissed the notion that the increase in Ukrainian attacks is part of a strategy to refocus attention on the conflict in Eastern Europe, following the breakdown of peace negotiations caused by the outbreak of war in the Middle East.