Russian Defense Ministry reports attempted drone attack on Moscow

Russia’s Defense Ministry says that Ukraine’s military attempted to hit targets in Moscow and the surrounding region with drone strikes.

According to the ministry, the attack was intercepted around 3:00 a.m. on August 26. “On duty air defenses destroyed an unmanned aerial device over the territory of the Istrinsky district in the Moscow region,” read a ministry announcement.

The Defense Ministry’s report does not state whether the strike produced any casualties. Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that, according to the latest information, there were no casualties or damages.

Tatyana Vitusheva, head of the Instrinsky urban district, clarified that the drone was moving toward Moscow along the Novorizhsky highway, and that air defenses brought it down near the village of Pokrovskoye. Vitusheva posted photographs from the site of the crash. 

The Telegram channel Mash posted video footage reportedly made at the moment air defense forces shot the drone down. The Telegram channel Ostorozhno, Moskva (Moscow Beware) circulated similar footage.

Moscow’s Domodedovo, Sheremetevo, and Vnukovo airports suspended flights overnight on Saturday for around an hour, but are now working normally, reports state news agency TASS, citing aviation services. According to state news agency RIA Novosti, at least 24 flights were delayed in Moscow in the early hours of August 26, and eight were canceled. 

Moscow and the surrounding region have experienced regular drone attacks in the past few weeks.