Two skyscrapers in Moscow’s premier business district have been damaged by drone strikes that sparked a fireball and left charred holes in the side of the buildings, in the latest attack on the Russian capital.
Videos taken on Sunday by eyewitnesses showed a drone flying between the high rises of the Moscow City business area before crashing, causing an explosion at the base of one of the towers. Another video taken from inside one of the buildings showed a destroyed office space scattered with debris.
The district, which is grouped on the embankment of the Moscow river on the western edge of the city, is home to leading Russian companies, such as VTB Bank and Norilsk Nickel.
Sunday’s attack marks at least the fifth time that unmanned aerial vehicles have reached Moscow since May, when two of the aircraft were shot down over the Kremlin. Others have hit buildings in suburban areas, and six days ago drones also crashed into more centrally located buildings, including an office block.
“Tonight there was an attack by Ukrainian drones. The facades on two city office towers were slightly damaged,” Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, adding there had been no casualties. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from Kyiv. Ukraine, which was invaded by Russian forces last year, has tended not to take direct credit for attacks by UAVs and other strikes on Russian territory that have also targeted fuel depots and air bases.
