The Ukrainian forces launched dozens of long-range drones against the Russian capital city on the intervening night of January 1 and January 2, alleged Moscow city’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, on Friday.
While most of the drones were intercepted by Russian troops before they could reach their intended targets, the resultant fires killed at least 24 people and injured 50 others after the drones hit cafes and hotels in the Black Sea coastal village of Khorly in southern Russia’s Kherson region, officials said.
“Russian air defence units neutralised more than 26 UAVs between 7 am Thursday and 1 am Friday,” Sobyanin added.
The mayor reported no casualties or damage from the incidents in Moscow, adding that emergency services specialists were working at the multiple crash sites even as several flights were delayed or cancelled at Moscow’s Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports as precaution.
Also Read: Russia alleges more drone attacks by Ukraine on NYE
The incident comes a day after Ukrainian forces allegedly targeted Moscow city with multiple drones on New Year’s Eve, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin was to deliver his traditional New Year’s Eve address.
Moscow has said that this latest wave of strikes was intentionally timed to maximise casualties and represents a “terrorist act”, if not a war crime.
Russian officials, while condemning the attack, described it as a “Nazi-style attack” and accused Ukraine of deliberate brutality and dehumanisation.
Both Ukrainian and Russian forces have attacked each other’s civilian populations, government offices, and targeted critical infrastructure in recent military exchanges.
Meanwhile, peace negotiations between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy ended without agreement after the two met in Florida last Sunday.
Follow us
