Russia says drones lightly damage Moscow buildings before dawn, while Ukraine’s capital bombarded
Associated PressKYIV, Ukraine — A rare drone attack jolted Moscow early Tuesday, causing only light damage but forcing evacuations as residential buildings were struck in the Russian capital for the first time in the war against Ukraine. The attack, while causing only what Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said was “insignificant damage” to several buildings, brought the war home to civilians in Russia’s capital. “It is, of course, a clear indication of terrorist activity.” Putin charged that Ukraine launched Tuesday’s attack in response to Russia striking Ukraine’s military intelligence headquarters in Kyiv over the weekend. Asked by The Associated Press whether there was high-level concern that the invasion of Ukraine was endangering Russian civilians, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said only that attacks on Russia reinforced the need to prosecute what the Kremlin calls the “special military operation.” Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Endowment said the Kremlin’s policy is to play down the attacks, reflecting Putin’s belief voiced more than once that the Russian people were patient enough to “understand everything and endure everything.” Moscow residents reported hearing explosions before dawn. Jean-Pierre also noted that Russia on Tuesday launched its 17th round of airstrikes on the capital of Kyiv this month, noting that “Russia started this unprovoked aggression, this unprovoked war against Ukraine.” A U.S. defense official said the drone strikes would not not affect the weapons aid packages the U.S. is providing Ukraine to include drone ammunition.