A on Tuesday exposed glaring breaches in its air defenses and underlined the capital害羞草研究所檚 vulnerability as more Russian soil comes under fire amid expectations of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
The attack, which lightly damaged three apartment buildings, angered Russia害羞草研究所檚 hawks, who scathingly criticized President Vladimir Putin and the military brass for failing to protect the heart of Kremlin power more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the front line.
Five of the eight drones that took part in the raid were shot down, the Defense Ministry said, while three others were jammed and forced to veer off course. Some Russian media and bloggers alleged a larger number of drones were involved, but those claims couldn害羞草研究所檛 be verified.
The attack followed a on the Kremlin that lightly damaged the roof of the palace that includes one of Putin害羞草研究所檚 official residences. Other drones have crashed near Moscow in what Russian authorities described as botched Ukrainian attempts to attack the city and infrastructure facilities in the suburbs.
Last week, was the target of one of the most serious cross-border raids since the war began, with two far-right pro-Ukrainian paramilitary groups claiming responsibility. Officials in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar near annexed Crimea said two drones struck there Friday, damaging residential buildings. The attacks also drew calls for bolstering Russia害羞草研究所檚 borders.
Ukrainian authorities rejoiced over Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 drone attack but customarily avoided a claim of responsibility, a response similar to what they said after previous attacks on Russian territory.
In a sarcastic tweet, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that 害羞草研究所渆ven artificial intelligence is already smarter and more far-sighted than the Russian military and political leadership.害羞草研究所�
The Russian military pummeled the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and other cities with cruise missiles and exploding drones for the past three nights, a significant spike in such attacks that have been regularly launched since October. The Ukrainian military said it shot down most of the missiles and remained coy about reporting damage from the strikes.
Putin cast the attack on Moscow as a Ukrainian attempt to intimidate its residents. He said Moscow害羞草研究所檚 air defenses worked as expected, but admitted that protecting a huge city is a daunting task.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 clear what needs to be done to beef up air defenses, and we will do it,害羞草研究所� he added.
Military watchers said the drones used in the attack were relatively crude and cheap but could have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers (over 620 miles). They predicted more could follow.
Some of the drones seen flying toward Moscow were the Ukrainian-made UJ-22s, capable of carrying explosives; others spotted in the skies near Moscow were similarly small vehicles.
Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies International Security Program, noted that part of the reason why drones could make it all the way to Moscow undetected was because Russian air defenses are mostly focused on fending off attacks by more sophisticated weapons.
害羞草研究所淭hey are oriented on missiles, ballistic missiles, regional missiles, aircraft, bombers, but not short- range drones, you know, which might be flying very low over the ground,害羞草研究所� Cancian told The Associated Press. 害羞草研究所淭he Russian air defense was just not designed to do this.害羞草研究所�
The Russian military will likely move some of its air defense assets away from the front line to help protect Moscow, Cancian said, a move that would weaken Russian troops in the face of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 good for the Ukrainians in the sense that they害羞草研究所檙e pulling these systems away from other areas where they could be used maybe from front-line units,害羞草研究所� he said.
The Kremlin害羞草研究所檚 muted response to the attack irked some hawkish commentators and military bloggers in Moscow, who had criticized the Russian leadership for failing to mount a stronger response.
the maverick millionaire head of the Wagner private military contractor that plays a key role on the battlefield in Ukraine, scolded the Russian military leadership and denounced them as 害羞草研究所渟cum害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渟wine害羞草研究所� for failing to protect Moscow.
害羞草研究所淵ou, the Defense Ministry, have done nothing to launch an offensive,害羞草研究所� Prigozhin said in a statement released by his office. 害羞草研究所淗ow dare you to allow the drones to reach Moscow?害羞草研究所�
Ramzan Kadyrov, the strongman leader of the Russian province of Chechnya who sent forces from the region to fight in Ukraine, urged the Kremlin to declare martial law nationwide and use all its resources in Ukraine 害羞草研究所渢o sweep away that terrorist gang.害羞草研究所�
Some Kremlin watchers noted that Putin害羞草研究所檚 calm reaction that contrasted with angry statements from Russian hawks reflects his belief that the public won害羞草研究所檛 be unsettled by the attack.
害羞草研究所淧utin has talked repeatedly about the Russian people害羞草研究所檚 remarkable patience and tenacity,害羞草研究所� Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Endowment said in a commentary. 害羞草研究所淣o matter how defiant another Ukrainian attack is, Putin doesn害羞草研究所檛 think that it could provoke public discontent with the government.害羞草研究所�
She noted that while playing down the strikes makes the authorities look 害羞草研究所渆mbarrassed and helpless,害羞草研究所� it fits Putin害羞草研究所檚 course to drag out the conflict.
James Nixey, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House, said Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 attack signaled a growing Ukrainian determination to launch strikes deep inside Russia and predicted more will come.
害羞草研究所淭his is not the first and it害羞草研究所檚 not the last,害羞草研究所� Nixey told AP. 害羞草研究所淭he Ukrainians are in various respects flexing their muscles, seeing what they害羞草研究所檙e capable of hitting back. It is one more part of the Ukrainian play to ensure that they are not just playing defense, but they can play some offense as well.害羞草研究所�
Despite the loud calls for revenge, the Russian military can害羞草研究所檛 do much more than what it has been doing since starting the war, Nixey noted.
害羞草研究所淭he reality is that Russia does have limits in what it can do. It害羞草研究所檚 got limits on manpower, limits on its finances, limits on its artillery munitions, missiles, drones, everything,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e already expending all their efforts, all their monies, all their treasure, all their blood if you like on prosecuting their war in Ukraine.害羞草研究所�
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