MOSCOW
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Tuesday that 19 Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian capital overnight.
In a post on Telegram, Sobyanin said there were no reported casualties or major damage. However, Russian media aired footage showing debris from a drone hitting a residential building along Kashirskoye Highway in southern Moscow.
Separate media reports indicated that three people were killed in a fire sparked by an explosion at a residential building in southwest Moscow, though it was not confirmed whether the incident was linked to the drone attack.
In a separate statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said a total of 105 Ukrainian drones were intercepted or disabled across several regions overnight.
The regions of Bryansk, Voronezh, and Moscow were among the most affected, according to the ministry.
As a precaution, airports in Moscow, Samara, Kaluga, Volgograd, and Saratov temporarily suspended operations.
Commenting on the attack at a press briefing in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine’s actions demonstrate the war-oriented policies of its leadership.
“The Kyiv regime continues its attempts to attack civilian infrastructure facilities. But Russia has created and operates an effective air defense system,” he said, also praising the professionalism of the Russian military engaged in repelling the air raid.
Despite Ukraine’s actions, Russia’s proposal to declare a three-day ceasefire remains in force, and Kyiv has yet to issue any statements supporting the holiday truce, he stressed.
“President (Vladimir) Putin’s initiative on a ceasefire for the holidays is relevant,” he underscored.
The spokesman said the Russian military will halt all operations on May 7, but if the opposing side fails to reciprocate and persists in attempting to attack the Russian positions, appropriate countermeasures will ensue.
Peskov also said the US remains the sole mediator for the Ukrainian settlement. At the same time, Moscow welcomes all nations willing to contribute constructively to advance the process toward a peaceful resolution.
Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that he could not guarantee the safety of foreign leaders planning to visit Moscow for events marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
