Moscow hit by drone attack on New Year’s night
Emergency services work at the site where debris fell (Photo: Getty Images)
On the night of December 31 to January 1, unidentified drones flew toward Moscow, prompting the closure of one of the capital’s airports, according to Russian Telegram channels.
In particular, at 10:55 p.m., Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that air defense forces had allegedly shot down a drone heading toward the city.
“Emergency services specialists are working at the site where the debris fell,” he added.
At the same time, several public Telegram channels reported that a drone raid on Moscow was underway, prompting the closure of Domodedovo Airport.
Judging by the timing of the posts, the attack occurred while Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin was delivering his New Year’s address to Russians.
Later, at 12:27 a.m. Moscow time, Sobyanin reported that another drone had allegedly been shot down.
Drone attacks on Russia
In recent months, Russia has increasingly come under attack by unidentified drones, primarily targeting military facilities or sites linked to the defense sector. In some cases, the outcomes of these strikes have been confirmed by the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
For example, on the night of December 31, Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region.
The Tamanneftegaz oil and gas terminal, a reserve fuel depot, and ammunition warehouses used by occupying forces were also reportedly hit.
In recent days, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukrainian drones had attacked Putin’s residence in Russia’s Novgorod region.
However, US national security agencies and the CIA determined that this claim was false and that no attack on Putin or his residence took place. The drones were targeting another facility that had previously come under attack. It is located in the same area as Putin’s country residence, but not in close proximity to it.
