New Delhi: The Russian defense ministry on Tuesday said that Ukraine launched a drone attack on Moscow, forcing flights to be diverted from Vnukovo International Airport. The attack reportedly involved five drones and targeted various locations in the surrounding region of the capital, reported news agency Reuters.
The defense ministry confirmed that all the drones were successfully shot down or jammed, and no casualties or damages were reported. Four Ukrainian drones were shot down by Moscow air defences while a fifth was jammed and crashed into the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region, the Russian defence ministry said.
However, Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the alleged attack.
According to Russian news agencies, two drones were intercepted near a village 30 km (19 miles) southwest of the Kremlin. One drone was detected in the neighbouring Kaluga region, reported Reuters. One drone was shot down in the area of the town of Kubinka, some 63 km (40 miles) west of Moscow, RIA reported. A Russian air base is near Kubinka.
As per the agency, landings and takeoffs at Moscow's Vnukovo were restricted for several hours early on Tuesday before normal operations resumed after 0500 GMT. A number of flights from Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt were diverted.
Russia's foreign and defence ministries denounced the attack as terrorism.
"The Kyiv regime's attempt to attack an area where civilian infrastructure is located, including the airport, which incidentally also receives foreign flights, is yet another act of terrorism," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, according to Reuters
"The international community should realise that the United States, Britain, France - permanent members of the UN Security Council - are financing a terrorist regime," she said.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his Telegram messaging channel, "At this moment, the attacks have been repelled by air defence forces," adding "All detected drones have been eliminated."