Ukrainian drone hits Moscow high-rise in rare city strike

A Ukrainian drone struck a residential tower in an upscale Moscow district on Monday, marking one of the deepest strikes into the Russian capital's central area. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the attack on Mosfilmovskaya Street, approximately 6-8 kilometers from the Kremlin, stating that air defenses repelled two drones but one hit the building with no casualties reported. The strike occurred just days before Russia's traditional May 9 Victory Day parade commemorating the World War II defeat of Nazi Germany, which authorities have significantly scaled back this year due to what the Kremlin described as the "current operational situation." Russian officials implemented unprecedented security measures in Moscow ahead of the parade, with hundreds of air defense systems reportedly transferred to the capital. According to Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, preparations are taking place "in a mode more similar to a military lockdown than a celebration," including communication blackouts across the city this week. The Kremlin also proposed a Victory Day ceasefire communicated only to the US administration, as Russian officials continue to refuse direct contact with Kyiv. This marks the first time since 2007 that the parade will proceed without heavy military equipment. Photos and videos circulating on social media show damage to the upper floors of the high-rise building, identified as the Mosfilm Tower, with debris scattered across the street below as emergency crews responded to the scene. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for over 25 years, was scheduled to deliver his annual Victory Day speech at the parade, an event that has become a key pillar of his tenure and a platform to justify the war in Ukraine. The attack represents a rare successful penetration of Moscow's air defenses near the city center, which typically intercept drones outside the capital or in suburbs.