The Israeli Prime Minister's office issued the statement in response to what it referred to as a 'completely false' local television report about US pressure on Israel
world1 week ago
Strolling in Moscow on a summer's day as pop music blared from a cafe, Tigran is one of the capital's residents who say they have come to terms with a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks.
Day-to-day life in the city of some 12 million people has changed little since the Kremlin launched attack on Ukraine last February, upending the lives of millions of Ukrainians.
But a recent uptick in aerial assaults have hit the capital's financial district, ripped holes in commercial buildings and even struck the Kremlin, a reminder of hostilities playing out hundreds of kilometres away.
Still, some residents have accepted with a shrug the ripple effect of the conflict in Ukraine.
"Living in Moscow isn't scary," Tigran, a sunglass-wearing 40-year-old who declined to give his last name, told AFP. "I feel safe."
The attacks point to a broader phenomenon of how crucial drones have become for both sides, being deployed on an unprecedented scale for reconnaissance and precision artillery targeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country has weathered waves of assaults from Iran-made attack drones, warned late last month that "war" was coming Russia.
In the weeks since, Moscow has suffered at least eight aerial attacks that Russian authorities have blamed on Kyiv.
Residents voiced confidence in the military's ability to intercept them.
Konstantin, a 70-year-old retiree who also declined to give his last name, told AFP he felt "absolutely calm", citing his trust in the army.
"There are enough personnel and equipment," he said, referring to air defence systems around Moscow.
Authorities have reported those systems increasing ability to repel the wave of assaults, and have claimed the drones have caused relatively little damage.
Since the Kremlin strike in May, the Russian defence ministry has said most attacks have been foiled by electronic air defence systems.
"The most important thing is that they stay alert. The rest doesn't matter," Konstantin said, referring to Russian forces.
He however did complain that the electronic jamming techniques used to down Ukrainian drones were interfering with his car's navigation system.
"It's hard without a navigator in Moscow," he said.
Apart from minor inconveniences, like difficulties getting around the city or repair work at drone crash sites, analysts also said the Ukrainian aerial attacks were having little impact.
"The scale of these events is not at all at a point where it would seriously worry the residents of a megacity like Moscow," said pro-Kremlin military expert Alexander Khramchikhin.
"These attacks have a microscopic effect on a city of at least 12 million people," he said.
He acknowledged that some businesses had relocated from the financial district, which had been hit several times, and that the attacks had disrupted work at Moscow's three airports.
"The biggest effect is bewilderment, and the question is, what do they want to achieve by this?" he added, referring to Ukrainian authorities.
Vassily Kashin, a political analyst and professor at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, agreed that the attacks' impact was limited.
Compared to the damage Russian forces were bringing to Ukrainian cities, he said, Kyiv's aerial assaults on Kyiv were negligible.
"This probably helps to maintain their morale. That's all," he said.
"Drones in Moscow either do not affect people's attitude towards the war, or lead to calls for a tougher conduct," he added.
The strikes have nonetheless raised questions about Russian air defence systems and how vehicles launched from Ukraine can fly undetected for hundreds of kilometres.
Venera, the manager of an orthopaedics store in Moscow, had her own theory.
"I think that our Russian compatriots are going against Russia, they are launching these drones," she said.
The Israeli Prime Minister's office issued the statement in response to what it referred to as a 'completely false' local television report about US pressure on Israel
world1 week ago
Israeli President Isaac Herzog termed the United States as a 'true ally'
world1 week ago
'All acts of escalation are condemnable and must stop', said the spokesman for the Secretary-General
world1 week ago
Indian agencies have uncovered a network that sold fake tickets or charged exorbitant prices for legitimate ones for both concerts
world1 week ago
Saturday's attack was one of the deadliest attacks in the area in recent months
world1 week ago
Satellite data from Brazil's space research agency Inpe showed that Bolivia had 70,628 fire hot-spots up until September 22
world1 week ago
According to airport authorities, flight operations will be halted starting 6:00 PM on Thursday
world1 week ago
Airport operations are currently impacted, and passengers should not come to the airport at this time, the spokesperson said
world1 week ago