Ukraine suspected in string of drone attacks inside Russia

A flurry of drone attacks last night and this morning target regions inside Russia along the border with Ukraine and deeper into the country, with one drone crashing just 100 kilometers (60 miles) away from Moscow, according to local Russian authorities.

A drone fell near the village of Gubastovo, roughly 100 kilometers southeast of Moscow, Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the region surrounding the Russian capital, says in an online statement.

The drone didn’t inflict any damage, Vorobyov says. He doesn’t specifically describe the drone as Ukrainian, but says that it likely targeted “a civilian infrastructure object.”

Russian forces early today shot down a Ukrainian drone over the Bryansk region, local Gov. Aleksandr Bogomaz says in a Telegram post. He says there were no casualties.

Three drones also targeted Russia’s Belgorod region last night, with one flying through an apartment window in its namesake capital, local authorities report. Regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov says the drones caused minor damage to buildings and cars but no casualties.

The hacking of Russian TV channels and radio stations as well as the temporary closure of St. Petersburg’s airport at the same time feed suspicion that Kyiv could be behind the attacks.

While Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian border regions of Bryansk and Belgorod that lie north of Ukraine’s Sumy region are not unusual, the hits on the Krasnodar and Adygea regions further south are noteworthy.

A fire broke out at an oil depot in Russia’s Krasnodar region, which neighbors Adygea, on Monday, Russia’s state RIA Novosti agency reported. Russian Telegram channels claims that two drones exploded near the depot.

A drone also exploded overnight over Adygea, which lies some 600 kilometers (370 miles) east of Crimea, regional Gov. Murat Kumpilov says on Telegram. He says no one was hurt in the attack, which damaged some farm buildings.

Ukrainian authorities offer no immediate acknowledgement or comment on the reported strikes.