The war in Ukraine is increasingly being felt within Russia — AP
It is becoming more difficult for Kremlin officials to portray the war in Ukraine as a distant conflict that does not affect the lives of Russians, the AP reported on May 18. The report notes that internet outages, curtailed public events, and air incidents in the Moscow region are gradually changing perceptions of the war within Russian society, making it more tangible in everyday life.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack on the Moscow region a just retaliation for the continuous and deadly Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and other cities last week. All these attacks occurred just days after President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that the war in Ukraine was nearing an end.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday, May 17, that its air defense systems had shot down 1,054 Ukrainian drones over the previous 24 hours, one of the highest figures recorded by the military. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that from late Saturday into early Sunday, the capital’s air defense shot down 81 drones. The attacks near the Russian capital killed three people, injured 12 others, damaged several apartment buildings, and destroyed several private homes.
One drone crashed into the grounds of a Moscow oil refinery but did not disrupt production, Sobyanin said. Another struck an oil storage facility, causing a fire that blanketed the area in black smoke. Several Moscow airports suspended operations, and dozens of flights were delayed or rerouted. One Ukrainian drone crashed on the grounds of the capital’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
Ukraine’s ability to penetrate Moscow’s dense air defense coverage reflected the growing number of its drones, as well as the intensification of its tactics. Kyiv has been steadily stepping up drone strikes, focusing on energy facilities and weapons factories, but the capital has become a more challenging target. The Moscow region is the most heavily saturated with Russian air defense systems, Zelenskyy noted in an address to the nation, adding that long-range capabilities are significantly changing the situation and the world’s perception of Russia’s war.
The attacks came after a brief three-day ceasefire brokered by the U.S., which did not halt hostilities but led to a pause in long-range attacks, allowing Moscow to hold its annual military parade on May 9 to mark the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Concerns over attacks by Ukrainian long-range drones forced Russian authorities to scale back the parade. Unlike in previous years, no tanks, missiles, or other military equipment passed through Red Square. After the parade, Putin stated that the war in Ukraine is nearing its end, though he did not elaborate on this statement or offer any timeline.
The attacks in Moscow come at a time of rising tensions in Russia due to the mounting cost of the war and the government’s increasingly restrictive policies, which have eroded Putin’s traditionally high popularity. Some military bloggers and social media influencers who had previously been loyal to the Kremlin have begun to openly question the government’s policies. The government’s move to restrict mobile internet and block popular messaging apps has caused massive damage to businesses and disrupted the daily lives of millions of Russians, sparking public outrage.
State television channels tried to downplay the significance of the attacks in Moscow, which were mentioned only briefly in some news reports. Instead, they focused on last week’s successful test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, which is set to become a key part of Russia’s nuclear forces. Several military bloggers stated that the weekend’s attack exposed vulnerabilities in the air defense system that must be quickly addressed. Some called on the Kremlin to intensify attacks on Ukraine and target its government. Pro-Kremlin political commentator Sergei Markov wrote that he was awakened by the sounds of explosions last weekend as air defense systems fired on attacking drones. He accused Kyiv’s allies of helping Ukraine ramp up drone production, claiming that Europe was attempting to strike at Moscow.
Russian hawks have long been calling on the Kremlin to respond to the intensification of Ukrainian attacks by striking Kyiv’s allies in Europe. Last month, the Ministry of Defense published a list of factories in Europe that it said were involved in the production of drones and their components for Ukraine. It warned that attacks on Russia involving drones manufactured in Europe could have unpredictable consequences. When asked by a state television commentator why Moscow tolerates such provocations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that its nuclear deterrent is designed to repel threats to Russia’s existence.
Earlier, Putin touted the Russian economy’s successes amid the first GDP decline in three years.
Russia changed its polling methodology, and Putin’s approval rating immediately rose
Putin spoke of “ending the war” due to serious problems on the home front and at the front
