Published: August 9, 2023 10:39 am
Author: RT
Footage obtained by RT shows the moment a disabled aircraft exploded in the financial district on July 30
A blast caused by a downed Ukrainian drone in Moscow’s financial district in late July sent people scrambling for safety and shattered the windows in one of the skyscrapers, according to footage obtained by RT.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Moscow came under Ukrainian drone attack on July 30, with a total of three aircraft involved. It said that while one drone was destroyed by air defenses outside the capital, two others were disabled, veered off course, and crashed “on the territory of a non-residential complex in Moscow City [business district],” which is home to numerous companies and government organizations.
Security footage from cameras inside and near the Federation tower shows the moment one of the drones exploded in the district. The 21-second clip from outside the building shows a powerful explosion smashing windows, with a man standing at the entrance scrambling to huddle against the walls.
Another 11-second video, filmed on the ground floor inside the tower, offers a different perspective. It shows a security post, and a guard talking to a woman. After a powerful explosion, both can be seen running away deeper into the building.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said the attack caused minor damage to the facades of two office buildings, adding that there were no casualties or injuries.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has ramped up its attempts to target Moscow with drone strikes, which have been mostly unsuccessful. On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Moscow’s air defenses had thwarted another “terrorist attack” involving two Ukrainian drones which were shot down on their way to the Russian capital.
READ MORE: UN condemns Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow
In late July, commenting on the recurring Ukrainian drone raids on Moscow, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that they looked like “acts of desperation” that he said were motivated by Kiev’s failure to breach Russian lines during its much-hyped counteroffensive. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has lost more than 43,000 service members and almost 5,000 pieces of military equipment since the start of the push in early June.
