(Reuters) -Russian air defence units destroyed a swarm of Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow in a second night attack in a row, prompting the closure of all airports in the capital for several hours, officials said early on Tuesday.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on social media that at least 19 Ukrainian drones were destroyed on their approach to Moscow “from different directions,” causing no major destruction or injuries.
The consecutive attacks came ahead of Moscow marking this week the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany in World War Two. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared last week a three-day ceasefire over May 8-10 to mark the anniversary.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the measure pointless and offered an unconditional ceasefire over at least 30 days in line with a U.S. proposal launched in March.
Three major Telegram news channels that have links to Russian security services — Bazaar, Mash and Shot — said a drone struck an apartment building near a major road in the south of Moscow, smashing windows. There were no reports of casualties.
Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaria’s said flights were halted at all four airports that serve Moscow for several hours overnight to ensure air safety. Airports in a number of regional cities were also closed.
On Tuesday, Russia’s air defence units destroyed four Ukrainian drones on their approach to Moscow, with no damage or injuries reported.
Since the start of the war that Russia launched more than three years ago, Kyiv has launched several drone attacks on Moscow. Its biggest attack on the Russian capital in March killed three people.
In the Voronezh region that borders Ukraine in Russia’s southwest, at least 18 drones were destroyed, causing small damage in a non-residential building and children playground, regional governor said early on Tuesday.
While Russia’s air defence units destroyed 10 drones over the southern Pena region, with no damage or injuries reported, a regional governor said on Telegram.
The full-scale of the attack on Moscow and the rest of Russia on Tuesday was not clear. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv about the latest drone attack.
Ukraine says its drone attacks are aimed at destroying infrastructure key to Moscow’s overall war efforts and are in response to Russia’s continued assault on Ukrainian territory, including residential areas and energy infrastructure.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Chris Reese, Stephen Coates and Michael Perry)