Moscow attacked by drones, while Medvedev warns of ‘Armageddon’

Ukrainian drones shot down near Moscow

Five Ukrainian drones were shot down on Tuesday near Moscow and its wider region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

“This morning, an attempt by the kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist act was prevented,” the ministry said in a statement.

Four drones were destroyed by air defense near Moscow, while the fifth was neutralized by “electronic warfare means,” the statement added.

No casualties were reported in the Russian capital as all the drones were successfully foiled, Moscow Mayor Sergeu Sobianine wrote on Telegram.

According to the emergency services cited by the Russian press agency RIA Novosti, two drones were shot down near the town of Valouïevo, located on the outskirts of the capital.

Another drone was shot down near Koubinka in the Moscow region.

The attacks briefly disrupted the operation of Moscow’s Vnoukovo airport, located about 40 kilometers from Koubinka, where several flights were redirected to other airports.

Located more than 500km from the Ukrainian border, Moscow has rarely been the target of drone strikes since the start of the war, even if drone strikes have multiplied in other parts of Russia.

Russian drone strike in Sumy kills two

At least two people were killed and 16 wounded after an airstrike hit the city of Sumy on Monday, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The Sumy Regional Military Administration reported that four Shahed-136 drones attacked the city center, with an office building and two apartment blocks damaged in the attack.

“Based on this fact, criminal proceedings have been opened under article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Violation of the laws and customs of war,” a police representative at the scene said.

Medvedev warns of ‘Armageddon’

Former Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said “armageddon” is likely if the West does not agree to talk with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Medvedev’s essay, published on July 3, echoed inflammatory Russian rhetoric toward Ukraine and the West, aimed at undermining support for Kiev ahead of the upcoming NATO summit.

He reiterated his portrayal of the war in Ukraine as part of a larger existential conflict against the West, reaffirming many of Putin’s pre-war demands.

Medvedev hinted that Russia is prepared to engage in this broader conflict for “decades” if these demands are not met, suggesting the likelihood of nuclear war.

The essay also asserts Russia’s connection, despite Western sanctions, to powers that do not actively oppose the West.

Prior to Medvedev’s trial, other senior Kremlin officials made similar statements directed at Western states, organizations and media ahead of major international discussions on military, political and economic support for Ukraine and its effort to liberate Russian-controlled territories.