Drones target Moscow, high-rise building hit twice in one week

A view shows the damaged facade of office buildings in the Moscow City following a reported Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, August 1, 2023. (photo credit: EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/REUTERS)
A view shows the damaged facade of office buildings in the Moscow City following a reported Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, August 1, 2023.
(photo credit: EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/REUTERS)

Russian anti-aircraft units downed drones targeting Moscow early on Tuesday, but one drone, sent out of control by anti-aircraft activity, struck the same high-rise tower that was hit earlier in the week, the military and city officials said.

Russia's Defense Ministry, in a post on Telegram, said its forces had "thwarted an a terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime" and downed two drones in the suburbs west of the city center.

"Yet another (drone) was hit by radio-electronic equipment and, having run out of control, crashed on the territory of the complex of non-residential buildings at Moskva Citi," the ministry said, referring to a business center in the capital.

Vnukovo airport, one of three major airports serving the capital briefly shut down, but later resumed full operations.

Emergency services, quoted by Tass news agency, said debris from the falling drone had been located and would be sent for technical expertise.

Same high rise hit by drone

Earlier, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said one of the drones targeting the capital had flown into the same tower at Moskva Citi that had been struck earlier in the week.

 A view shows the damaged facade of an office building in the Moscow City following a reported Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, July 30, 2023 (credit:  REUTERS/STAFF)
A view shows the damaged facade of an office building in the Moscow City following a reported Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, July 30, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/STAFF)

"One flew into the same tower at the Moskva City complex hit previously. The facade has been damaged on the 21st floor. Glazing was destroyed over 150 square meters."

Sobyanin said no injuries were reported.