The Kremlin’s defense system has destroyed three drones attempting to attack Moscow in the latest raid, and Russian officials claimed the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) belonged to Ukraine. Due to drone attacks and continuous threats, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Domodedovo airports in Moscow have paused air traffic for the second consecutive day. The Kremlin defense ministry stated that a UAV was electronically controlled and crashed into a building, and the defense system destroyed the other two outside the capital.

Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow’s Mayor, expressed on the Social media app Telegram that a drone crashed into an under-construction building in the city, and one was shot in the west of Moscow city. Russian defense stated that the third drone was shot in the Khimki district.

Furthermore, the Kremlin state news agency TASS expressed that air traffic at the Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Domodedovo was affected by the drone attacks, and flights were halted for two days, and state aviation authority said all flight operations resumed early Wednesday morning. Attacks by unmanned vehicles have become a continuous threat in central Russia, and Ukraine has launched multiple drones to hit Moscow, the capital, and many other targets. Most of the UAVs were destroyed, but some have also hit the buildings.

It has been over 17 months since Kremlin started the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and successfully captured some areas after a massive bloodbath. Ukraine started to counter the enemy, started preparing for the counteroffensive, and grabbed a considerable amount of aid from most of its allies. After months of preparation, collecting the artillery and defense systems, it recently started the counteroffensive to push the Russian forces back in an attempt to take the lost territories back. Ukraine continuously tries to fulfill its aim, but there is a tough fight on the battlefield.

Kyiv Hitting Russian Air Power Facilities

Ukraine has aimed to bring the war home to Russia, and in this regard, it has attempted multiple times to hit Moscow and other areas, and some of them even went successful. Kyiv forces are trying to tackle Russian superiority in the air and hit bases that house supersonic warplanes inside the Kremlin territory. Kyiv declared it had carried out a drone attack on Shaykovka, a Russian air facility, on Monday, which is some 130 miles from the Ukrainian border.

Russian Shaykovka military airbase is vital as it has been operating Tupolev Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range bombers since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and caused much damage. Kyiv reported that only in the last week Shaykovka had launched four Kh-22 cruise missiles toward Ukrainian territory. A spokesperson for the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Andriy Yusov, expressed that a drone hit the Shaykovka base, damaging at least one jet. He added the task was done in coordination with the main directorate of intelligence of Kyiv’s defense ministry. Furthermore, the operation was carried out from within Russian territory.

Yusov said Ukraine had performed many operations from Kremlin territory. Russian authorities have not commented about the incident yet, but a Russian social media blog that has close contact with Russian security services published some details. It said a drone crashed at the Shaykovka base, and an unused jet was damaged, but the news is not yet confirmed. Yusov said Kremlin has been trying to cover the incident just like the recent ones and trying to hide the damage Russia has suffered.

Ukraine Getting F-16 To Counter Moscow Air Force

Kyiv has been getting F-16 fighter jets from its allies to strengthen its air defense and counter the Russian air force. Its partners, Netherlands and Denmark, have announced to provide the jets, but the challenge is that it would take months to train Ukrainian pilots to use those aircraft. In the meantime, Ukraine is trying to make a dent in Russian air power by targeting its air facilities. The support of F–16 fighters is considered an excellent addition to Kyiv forces, but there is some time in their proper operation against Kremlin.

Over the weekend, Moscow claimed that Kyiv had hit another military airfield, Soltsy, in the Novgorod region, which is also hundreds of Kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian counteroffensive is crucial for it and faces much pushback from Kremlin forces from the ground and the skies. Kyiv’s counteroffensive is continuously struck from above, which has become a big challenge in stepping ahead. So Kyiv has decided to weaken Moscow’s defense system, especially air defense, by hitting the bases and air facilities.