Republished with full copyright permissions from The Washington Daily Chronicle.

The recent surge in drone attacks on Moscow and its surroundings has heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The incidents, including strikes on government buildings and warship attacks, serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by Moscow during the prolonged conflict with Ukraine. Accusations have been exchanged between the two countries, with both sides failing to take full responsibility for the attacks. This blog post delves into the recent events, shedding light on the growing tensions and uncertainties in the region.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that two Ukrainian drones were shot down outside Moscow, while another drone was successfully jammed and crashed into a skyscraper in the Moscow City business district. The targeted building, IQ-Quarter, had already been damaged in a similar attack just days prior. Russian officials have attributed these intensified attacks to Ukraine’s counteroffensive failures, suggesting that the conflict has now reached Russian territory.

The fact that IQ-Quarter has been hit twice in a row raises questions about why the same building was targeted again. The Russian military asserts that the drones responsible were successfully jammed prior to crashing into the skyscraper. However, the motives behind these attacks remain unclear. The Tuesday attack resulted in damage to the 21st floor, which houses the Ministry of Economic Development. Though no casualties were reported, the building’s glass facade suffered significant damage, leaving charred insides exposed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while acknowledging the escalating situation, refrained from explicitly taking responsibility for the attacks. Zelenskyy stated that “the war is gradually coming back to Russian territory.” However, his advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak, tweeted that Moscow is rapidly adjusting to a full-fledged war, implying that the conflict may soon reach the “authors of the war” in a bid to hold them accountable without confirming Ukraine’s involvement.

In addition to striking Moscow, Russian forces reported an attempted attack by Ukrainian forces on two warships in the Black Sea. Three maritime drones targeted the patrol vessels Sergei Kotov and Vasily Bykov near Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean peninsula. All three drones were successfully destroyed, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Adding to the tensions, a deadly missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, a city in central Ukraine and President Zelenskyy’s hometown, resulted in the destruction of a residential building and claimed the lives of at least six people. Several others were injured in the attack. This strike represents one of the deadliest incidents impacting civilians in recent weeks, further exacerbating the conflict between the two nations.

The escalating drone attacks on Moscow, alongside the incidents in Crimea and Kryvyi Rih, have intensified the long-standing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The lack of straightforward accountability and the persistent exchange of accusations between both sides reflect the uncertainties and rising tensions in the region. As the conflict continues, it remains uncertain how these events will impact the already strained relationship between the two countries.