Kremlin Premises Attacked by Two Drones
May 3, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—Today, in the early morning hours, Moscow time, two Ukrainian drones approaching the Kremlin were spotted by Russian security personnel onsite, who immediately moved to intercept and neutralize the threat through the use of electronic warfare equipment. One drone was apparently hit and did explode over the Senate Palace, holding a working residence of President Putin. The other ended up on the Kremlin’s grounds, close to Putin’s other working residence, the Great Kremlin Palace. Debris was scattered and assumedly collected. The Kremlin press service stated that no injuries or “material damage” were caused by the attack.
“We consider this a preplanned terrorist action and an attempt against the Russian president.” It added that the incident happened “ahead of Victory Day and the May 9 Parade, where foreign guests are expected to be present.” It concluded, making clear that “Russia reserves the right to take countermeasures wherever and whenever it deems appropriate.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that the President was absent from the Kremlin when the drones were downed. He is currently at the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo in Moscow Region, which is located to the west of the capital. His schedule was not affected.
There is footage circulating on social media, which purports to show a drone hit near the roof of the Senate Palace, and also the aftermath, with a plume of smoke rising against the night cityscape from the Kremlin area.
Russian State Duma Deputy Oleg Morozov stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be officially designated as a terrorist, as the attack on the Kremlin signifies a new stage in Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine, and that an adequate military response is required in order for Russia to show that actions such as this UAV attack won’t go unpunished.
Russia’s State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin (in Russian) insisted that the whole “Nazi regime in Kiev” should be recognized as a terrorist organization that, having seized control of Ukraine, now threatens the safety of Russia, Europe, and the entire world. He added that “politicians in Western countries that supply Zelenskyy’s regime with weapons” should realize that they now became complicit of “terrorist activity.”
Former President Dmitry Medvedev, (in Russian) Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, tweeted: “After today’s terrorist attack, there are no options left other than the physical elimination of Zelenskyy and his clique. He is not even needed to sign the act of unconditional surrender. Hitler, as you know, did not sign it either. There’s always some successor like sitz-president Admiral Dönitz....”
