Ukraine launched a widespread drone attack on Russia on Wednesday
Ukraine Launches Drone Attack On Moscow
Ukraine launched a widespread drone attack on Russia on Wednesday, with air defence units destroying three drones some 38 kms (24 miles) south of the Kremlin, and 15 over the border Bryansk region, Russian officials said. The three attack drones heading towards Moscow were downed over the city of Podolsk in the Moscow region, Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
Russia’s RIA state news agency reported also that two drones were destroyed over the Tula region, which borders the Moscow region to its north. In recent months, Kyiv has stepped up its air attacks on Russian territory, saying its aim is to destroy infrastructure key to Moscow’s war efforts. It also says that its attacks are in response to Russia’s continued strikes on Ukrainian territory.
Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russia’s energy infrastructure since the conflict’s onset in 2022, labelling these actions as “fair” retaliation for Russian strikes on Ukraine’s own energy facilities.
Ukrainian forces struck the position of a Russian S-300 air defense system near Novoshakhtinsk in Russia’s Rostov Oblast overnight on Aug. 21, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported.
“Explosions were observed at targeted areas. The accuracy of the strike is being determined,” the General Staff said in its report, providing no further details on the consequences.
India’s PM Modi visiting Ukraine
Kyiv is due to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 23, on the eve of Ukrainian Independence Day, and just over a month after Modi visited Moscow. His visit is sure to envoke mixed feelings among his Ukrainian hosts. India has persevered in maintaining close ties to Russia despite the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at the cost of significant irritation to Kyiv and its allies.
While Modi has called for peace, he has also refused to directly hold the Kremlin responsible for the war. This was also illustrated during Modi’s trip to Russia in July and his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, which coincided with Moscow’s deadly attack on a Ukrainian children’s hospital.
