War goes to Russia, Zelensky says after Moscow drone attack

The drone attack left a gaping hole on the ninth floor of the 42-story skyscraper. Photo: Alexander Nemenov/AFP An official looks at the debris on the sidewalk near the building after the attack. Photo: Yury Kochetkov/Shutterstock

Russia has beefed up its air defense system around Moscow to counter suspected Ukrainian drones by installing jamming equipment and surface-to-air missile systems, but the defense ministry admitted it only shot down one of three drones on Sunday.

Yuri Ignat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, hinted that Ukraine was behind the strike, although there was no official confirmation.“There is always something flying in Russia, and in Moscow in particular,” he said.

Russian media reported that the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Russia also rented offices in the damaged skyscraper.

It was at least the fourth drone attack on Moscow this month and the third this week. Two drones struck buildings near the defense ministry early Monday morning, and officials said air defense systems shot down the drones outside the capital on Friday.

The Kremlin said Putin had been informed of the strike. He has been in St. Petersburg since at least Thursday, where he hosts African leaders for a summit.

Law enforcement and emergency services at the scene Photo: Reuters Police blocked the streets around the damaged building Photo: Reuters

On Sunday, the Russian president attended the annual Navy Day parade, a staged propaganda event that allowed him to talk about one of his idols, the 18th-century tsar Peter the Great, who built the Russian navy and expanded the country's empire. /p>

But unlike last year, when he delivered a rant against the US and the West, it was a more subdued speech focused on patriotism and history. There was no talk of a war in Ukraine, although he said he wanted to expand the fleet.

“I thank the personnel of the Russian fleet for the impeccable fulfillment of the tasks you face, for your reliability, diligence, perseverance, for your impeccable devotion to the Fatherland ”, he said after inspecting the gunboats and the new missile boat.

John Foreman, British military attache in Moscow from 2019 to 2022, described it as “a formulaic speech aimed at directing Peter the Great , adding: «After the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, Russia's maritime power began to wane.»

Sergey Shoigu, Russia's defense minister, stood by Putin's side throughout the inspection. It faced harsh criticism for the failed invasion of Ukraine and became the focus of the Wagner mercenary uprising in June.