A Ukrainian drone swarm sent against Russia is being widely seen as one of the largest single drone attacks from Ukraine of the war, if not the biggest. Early on Tuesday drones slammed into regions across Russia, including reaching the capital of Moscow.
One Russian woman was killed when a drone directly hit her apartment complex just outside Moscow. The drone smashed into a 17-floor high rise where her residence was, and significant damage was later seen to the 10th through 12th floors where the woman's residence was. Several others were injured in the early dark hours drone assault.
At least 144 drones were reported intercepted over Russian territory during the attack wave, which disrupted traffic at multiple airports, causing stops and delays. This means the total drones sent was likely in the hundreds.
Such an attack method to sow general terror and panic in the Russian population is likely preferred at this point by Ukrainian commanders as it risks no valuable manpower and costs little.
According to a summary of the impact on airports:
In a major disruption of air traffic, four airports servicing Moscow — including key hubs Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo — canceled or delayed flights on Tuesday morning as a result of the attack, according to state media. The airport in the Tatarstan capital of Kazan, over 700 kilometers (435 miles) east of Moscow, also temporarily suspended service early Tuesday.
There are claims that some of the drones scored direct hits on Domodedovo International Airport...
The Guardian confirmed that Moscow area airports were targeted by Ukrainian drone forces:
Moscow’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, confirmed that a blaze had broken out on the runway at Zhukovsky airfield caused by falling debris from a drone. Videos circulating online showed a fire burning next to a plane and a passenger bus.
Three out of four Moscow airports were shut, including Domodedovo international airport, which was reportedly targeted for the first time. More than 30 domestic and international flights were suspended, Russian agencies reported.
Such a large-scale targeting of airports marks a new unprecedented escalation.
Local eyewitnesses fear that this means the war could be coming closer to the capital, also at a moment Ukraine is urging the West to greenlight long-rage missiles strikes deep into Russian territory:
"It became hard to breathe. It was scary, of course. We opened the windows so we could at least breathe because the smoke was coming from somewhere," said Dmitry, a 52-year-old sales manager.
Lyubov Sbrodova, a resident of a neighboring apartment block, told AFP hostilities were getting closer to the Russian capital.
Ukraine launched a cross-border attack into Russia's Kursk region last month. "It started in Kursk and has already reached us," the 33-year-old said. "Our authorities are not doing absolutely everything to keep our people safe," she added.
Bryansk region Governor Alexander Bogomaz said "the enemy carried out a mass terrorist attack," while noting "there were no casualties or damage."
Drones impact Moscow in the early morning dark hours:
Another Moscow resident impacted by the drone strike on the apartment building, described, "We were asleep, of course. Suddenly my husband and I heard a rumble. We ran out onto the balcony. (We saw) smoke, and people running with their children."
The 48-year old woman was cited in AFP further as saying, "Why are we having to live in fear now? When will it end?"
As for Kremlin leadership it doesn't seem panicked, given Russian forces are still making sweeping gains in Eastern Ukraine, where the real battle for future settlement of boundaries is taking place.
"We must continue the military operation in order to protect ourselves from such displays of this regime," Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced Tuesday. In essence he's telling the Russian population that such attacks on sovereign Russian territory means the continuation of the war is necessary and justified.