Moscow Airports Shut Amidst Ukrainian Drone Strikes
- IndiaGlitz, [Wednesday,August 23 2023]
Russian authorities have closed all airports around Moscow due to Ukrainian drone attacks hitting the business district. A carpet plan is in effect, suspending flights and redirecting traffic in response to the aerial threat.
Moscow's Mayor confirmed the recent drone strike, which caused smoke to rise from a central building hit by the attack. Another drone in the western part of the city was successfully downed by Russian air defense. The central district of Moscow has experienced multiple drone strikes recently, with one hitting a building just 5 km from the Kremlin on Saturday.
Despite confirming these attacks, Russia has not disclosed the origin sites. Experts raise concerns about Russian air defense's ability to prevent drone attacks launched from Kyiv's territory to Moscow.
Earlier, Ukrainian drones reportedly destroyed a Russian supersonic bomber at a St Petersburg airbase, with a widely circulated photo showing a smoke-engulfed plane. The BBC and other media outlets confirmed the photo depicted a Tupolev Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range bomber. This fleet has been used by Russia to attack Ukrainian cities.
The attack deep within Russian territory highlights Ukraine's effort to challenge Russian air supremacy. Kyiv has expressed interest in obtaining F-16s from allies to counter Russia's formidable lineup.