‘We Didn’t Think Explosions Would Come to Moscow’ - Russians React to Drone Attack on Capital

Ukraine’s latest drone attack on Moscow has sent panic, fear and a desire for revenge rippling through Russian social media, with commentators more than a little rattled that Kyiv’s drones can apparently reach the capital unhindered.

Kyiv has said the attack was a "special operation" carried out by its forces and Ukraine’s military intelligence told Kyiv Post such strikes will “continue and increase in scale.”

On Russian social media, however, not everyone was convinced with one person questioning the authenticity of videos of the attack and claiming it was a story totally made up by Russian media.

"These videos seem to be fake; no drones can be seen on them. Rich guys are just playing with the drones, that's it. The mass media has just exaggerated the case."

Another commentator 'Syomin Nick' supported the line about the attack being fake or being staged by Russian special services, writing: "Why did they target the non-residential building... and they [Russian authorities] said they 'prevented' the attack...

“It all reminds me of the special services games."

Elsewhere, others were more than happy to believe the attack was real and spell out just how they think Russia should respond.

Apparently unaware of Moscow’s months-long missile and drone campaign against Ukrainian cities, one wrote: "It's high time we launched missiles on the important objects in Kyiv."

Another wrote: "What did they expect? For the Crimean Bridge, they retaliated by attacking Odesa. I hope that for Moscow's attack, they will retaliate by attacking Kyiv.” 

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Odesa, a Black Sea port vital for Ukrainian exports, has been regularly targeted by deadly missile and drone attacks.

Another took things a step further, explicitly calling for the targeting of residential buildings.

"We are waiting for the real retaliatory strikes on 20 non-residential objects in Kyiv.”

As usual, there was also plenty of speculation that NATO was involved in the attack on Moscow.

"The UAV targeting control certainly cannot do without the help of the West and the use of their satellite capacities. So, you need to deal with them."

"Ukrainian UAVs. It sounds even cooler than the Belarussian Sea and Belarussian shrimps. Don't you find it funny? Or do you lack the courage to admit that NATO is the one that wages a war against us?"

Commentators were outraged that lately the attacks on Russian cities situated far from the frontline.

Yet despite the bravado and calls for retaliation, there was also much outrage and shock that such an attack could not only happen but that they are now being taken and represented by Russian state media as something "normal."

"They try to make us accustomed to this, they say the UAV hit the building, but it is non-residential. The Mayor's Office of Moscow, the State Duma, and the Federation Council are also non-residential houses. Next time it would be better to strike them but during working hours. And then the country is being bombed, and they are sleeping peacefully and reassuring us that the drones have targeted non-residential houses. For non-residential, is that, like, normal, you can bomb?”

"At least they wouldn't lie to us that they shot down something there, shifted it, intercepted it. One lie. Would they have told us the truth better, or are we fools in their opinion?!

“Clearly, there is confirmation that it strikes the building. A year ago, we could not even think that war and explosions would come to Moscow. And here it is already here, systematically. And then what will happen next?! Will there be Ukropsky tanks near Moscow?! It turns out that everything went wrong according to our plan."

"Bad, very bad. They strike the capital, therefore the intentions to annihilate Russia are very serious."

Drones also struck an ammunition dump in Russian-occupied Crimea in the early hours of Monday morning.

The attacks came a day after President Zelensky vowed to “retaliate” for Sunday’s Russian missile strike on the port city of Odesa.

"Missiles against peaceful cities, against residential buildings, a cathedral... There can be no excuse for Russian evil," he said.

"As always, this evil will lose. And there will definitely be a retaliation to Russian terrorists for Odesa. They will feel this retaliation."