Putin blames Ukraine for Moscow drone assault and says Kyiv is making an attempt to ‘scare and provoke’

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has mentioned Ukraine is making an attempt to scare and provoke Moscow after it blamed it for a drone assault within the capital.

Officials mentioned minor harm was prompted to a number of buildings and two folks have been injured in Tuesday’s incident.

Ukraine has denied it was accountable.

Russia’s defence ministry mentioned eight drones have been concerned within the “terrorist” motion and that every one have been shot down – with three diverted because of “electronic warfare”.

President Putin, talking on TV, claimed the assault was aimed as “civilian targets” and promised to enhance air defences, which he mentioned had labored effectively.

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Two folks sustained minor accidents and residents of tower blocks have been evacuated, in keeping with Moscow’s mayor.

People within the south west of town reported loud bangs within the early hours, adopted by the odor of petrol, and daylight video confirmed smoke rising.

Russian prosecutors mentioned drones have been shot down over the Odintsovsky district – the place Putin’s Novo-Ogaryovo state residence is positioned.

The district additionally consists of the Rublyovka suburb and its elite gated communities, dwelling to a lot of Russia’s political and enterprise elite.

“Of course we are pleased to watch and predict an increase in the number of attacks,” mentioned Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.

“But of course we have nothing directly to do with this,”

The incident comes a couple of weeks after Russia blamed Ukraine and the US for a drone assault on the Kremlin – portrayed as an try on President Vladimir Putin’s life. Ukraine denied involvement.

Meanwhile, Russia’s latest wave of assaults on Kyiv continued in a single day.

One individual died and a number of other have been injured when a high-rise constructing within the Holosiiv district caught hearth after being hit be particles, mentioned the Kyiv Military Administration.

It mentioned extra folks might be trapped below rubble as a result of the highest two flooring had been destroyed.

Authorities mentioned falling particles additionally began a home hearth within the Darnytskyi district and that three vehicles have been set alight in Pechersky district.

Twenty-nine of the 31 explosive drones fired into Ukraine – principally focusing on Kyiv – have been shot down, mentioned the air pressure.

The present wave of strikes began on Sunday and included a uncommon daylight assault on Monday, when Ukraine mentioned it intercepted all 11 missiles fired at its capital.

Russia began utilizing low cost Iranian-made ‘kamikaze’ drones to assault Ukraine final October.

Their wingspan is about 2.5m they usually have explosives of their nostril.

However, they journey slowly in contrast with an everyday missile – solely round 115mph (185kmh) – and Ukraine says it manages to shoot down most of them.

Kyiv has a whole lot of its personal assault drones after the US donated a whole lot of transportable Switchblade fashions.

The fiercest preventing within the Ukraine struggle in latest months has been within the jap metropolis of Bakhmut, which Russia claims to have now captured with the assistance of the Wagner mercenary pressure.

However, Ukraine is anticipated to quickly launch a much-anticipated counter offensive to attempt to regain territory seized within the 15-month struggle.