Drone Attack on Moscow - Eurotopics, 31 May 2023

Several residential buildings in Moscow were damaged by drone attacks on Tuesday, May 4, although no one was injured. Russian President Putin accused Ukraine and spoke of an act of terrorism. Ukraine, however, has denied direct involvement. Commentators discuss the consequences.

Much-vaunted stability gone

Perhaps now, some people in Russia will begin to question the war propaganda, Moscow correspondent Inna Hartwich writes in Luxemburg’s Tageblatt:

“They reject responsibility for the war, they justify it and refuse to take it seriously. But it is now coming to their homes in the form of drones. That spreads terror. 'That's right where my son's kindergarten is located: how am I supposed to sleep peacefully now?' many people ask who until now were able to sleep peacefully even though not a thousand kilometres away the kindergartens of other sons and daughters were being bombed by their compatriots. Many Muscovites are only learning through the violence inflicted by drones that President Putin's much-vaunted stability is a thing of the past.”

A fraction of what the Ukrainians are going through

In a Telegram post republished by Russian outlet Echo, Ukrainian film director Alexander Rodnyansky compares the Muscovites' fear over this incident to what Ukrainians are experiencing:

“Believe me, I am not in any way gloating. I can't gloat about drones over [Moscow suburb] Rublevka. ... But tonight Muscovites felt only a tenth if not a hundredth of what Kyiv residents feel EVERY night. And only a millionth of what the residents of Mariupol - or Bakhmut or Avdiivka - experienced. ... The Russian Ministry of Defense, responsible for the bombing of Ukraine and the murder of Ukrainian civilians, called what happened in Moscow an ACT OF TERROR .... Really? Then what should we call what is happening in Ukraine?”

Other Topics of Interest

Germany's Baerbock Offers Ukraine no Guarantees as Kyiv Sounds Alarm

Zelensky said Monday that Kyiv believed 11,000 North Korean troops had reached the Kursk border region in Russia, with the West repeatedly warning they could be sent into combat within days.

Treading on very thin ice

Ukraine's forces should be wary of attacking Moscow, warns the UK’s The Times:

“This high-profile operation is bound to make NATO leaders nervous, especially President Biden, who has insisted that Ukraine should not use sophisticated arms provided for its defense to attack Russian soil. NATO is committed to help Ukraine defend itself against aggression, the White House reaffirmed last week. But the alliance is not at war with Russia and intends to keep it that way. Ukraine must be mindful of these concerns.”

The damage is truly huge

Czechia’s Reflex has a sense of déjà vu:

“The damage caused by the two drones is not extensive, the Russian authorities have said. But in fact it is huge. As huge as it once was when a small plane piloted by a twenty-year-old amateur flew from Germany to Moscow back in the 1980s. Mathias Rust didn't do any bombing but he landed in the heart of Russia, on its most sacred ground, right in front of the Kremlin on Red Square. That's how poorly the Soviet Union was guarded. And to this day nothing has changed in that regard.”

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