**Moscow Under Drone Attack for Second Night in a Row**
In a continued escalation of violence, Moscow faced another drone attack on the night of July 18. This is the second consecutive night that the Russian capital has been targeted by Ukrainian drones. The Defense Ministry and local Telegram channels reported explosions not only in Moscow but also in several other Russian oblasts.
**Explosions Heard Across Greater Moscow Area**
According to reports from Russian Telegram channels, residents heard the sounds of explosions in multiple parts of the greater Moscow area overnight. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that four Ukrainian drones were shot down on approach to the capital, with blasts reported near Zvenigorod, Istra, and Zelenograd – suburban districts and satellite towns located to the west and northwest of central Moscow.
**Airport Operations Temporarily Suspended**
The attack led to a temporary suspension of flight operations at several airports, including Moscow’s largest ones: Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky. Additionally, Nizhny Novgorod’s Strigino and Kaluga’s Grabtsevo Airport suspended operations. However, all the airports have since resumed their normal activities.
**Dzerzhinsk and Oryol Targeted**
In Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, at least five explosions were reported, with Russian news outlet Shot stating that air defenses targeted drones near an industrial zone with munitions production facilities. Additional blasts were heard near Oryol.
**Russia’s Defense Ministry Claims 73 Drones Destroyed**
The Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 73 fixed-wing Ukrainian drones overnight, including 10 over Moscow Oblast. However, The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.
**Ukraine Remains Silent**
This latest wave of drone attacks follows a series of reported Ukrainian drone attacks across Russia on July 17, including strikes on Moscow, St. Petersburg, Belgorod, Voronezh, and other oblasts. Ukraine has not commented on the overnight drone activity.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
