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Moscow was hit by drones on Tuesday, but Russia said they were stopped. One politician said it was the worst attack on the city since World War II. At the same time, Kyiv was hit from the air for the third time in 24 hours.
Since Russia invaded its neighbour in February of last year, most of the war has taken place inside Ukraine. However, Moscow has said that Ukraine was behind some attacks on its soil, including an alleged attempt to kill President Vladimir Putin.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin of Moscow said that two people were hurt, but not badly. Some people in two apartment buildings that were only slightly damaged were briefly moved out.
The Russian defence ministry said that eight drones sent by Kiev were shot down or redirected, but Baza, a Telegram channel with ties to the security services, said that more than 25 drones were involved.
Residents in the southwestern part of Moscow said they heard loud bangs and smelled petrol between 5:00 and 6:00 am (2:00 to 3:00 GMT). Some people took a picture of a drone being shot down and a cloud of smoke rising over Moscow.
Maxim Ivanov, a politician, said it was the worst attack on Moscow since the Nazis and that no one could now avoid “the new reality.”
“You will either beat the enemy with our Motherland as a single fist, or the shame of your cowardice, collaboration, and betrayal will forever cover your family,” he said.
Two weeks ago, two drones blew up over the Kremlin. Russia claimed Ukraine for the attack, which it said was meant for Putin.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, denied that Kyiv had anything to do with Tuesday’s attacks on Moscow. He did say, however, that “we are pleased to watch” and that there would be more.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence called the attack a “terrorist drone attack” that was carried out by the “Kyiv regime.”
The Ukrainian defence forces in Kyiv said on Tuesday that they had shot down more than 20 Shahed drones made in Iran.
Ukrainian officials say that a 30-year-old woman died and four other people were hurt when pieces of a damaged Russian projectile hit a high-rise apartment block and caused a fire. People may still be alive under the rubble of the two higher floors that were destroyed.