Russia air defences down two drones near Moscow: state media

Russian air defences downed two drones in the Moscow region on Tuesday, state media reported, adding there were no casualties.

“Two drones were suppressed by means of electronic warfare” in the region of New Moscow, emergency services told the TASS news agency.

A third drone was “shot down” in the Kaluga region, around 190 kilometres (110 miles) from the capital, TASS said.

According to “preliminary reports”, the three drones were heading toward Moscow, TASS said.

The agency quoted an unnamed source as saying all three drones were fixed-wing, and added there had been no casualties.

State-run agency RIA Novosti also reported that two drones had been downed near the village of Valuevo in New Moscow, citing emergency services.

The drones had fallen into an “open field” and no casualties had been reported, it said.

The reports did not say where the drones had originated.

Drone attacks have hit Russian cities throughout Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, but have intensified in recent months.

Moscow and its environs, lying some 500 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, have up to now been rarely targeted.

In early May, two drones were shot down above the Kremlin, and later the same month drones hit Moscow high-rises. (BSS/AFP)