Ukraine’s air force shot down one of its own drones on Thursday after it lost control above central Kyiv.
The air force of Ukraine downed its own drone, which lost control and resulted in a series of explosions. Explosions were heard in Ukraine for about 15 to 20 minutes.
This was followed by a series of Russian attacks between Wednesday and Thursday.
The presidential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, had initially reported that an enemy drone had been shot down. The air force later informed that they had bought down a Ukrainian drone and destroyed it to avoid “undesirable circumstances.”
No casualties were, however, reported after this event.
Technical malfunction
A Bayraktar TB2 pilotless air device lost control at around 8 p.m. (1700 GMT). It happened during a scheduled flight over the central Kyiv region.
The Air Force has reported that it was “likely” because of a technical malfunction.
AFP journalists reported that during the explosions, they saw the air defence trying to shoot down the drone, while the Kyiv city military administration said that the air defence was at work.
People were seen cheering in social media videos when the drone was shot down.
Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, has informed that the fire fighters had to put out a fire on the ground floor of a four-story shopping centre in the Solomyansky district where the drone was brought down.
The fire spread over 50 square metres and caused some surface damage, but no one was injured.
Drone attack on the Kremlin
This incident comes after Russia accused Ukraine of carrying out an alleged drone attack on the Kremlin on Wednesday. Russia claims that the drone attack was supposedly an assassination attempt on President Vladimir Putin, who was not present inside the building at that moment.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson of the Kremlin, has accused the United States of being the culprit in this alleged drone attack without any evidence.
US National Security Spokesman John Kirby has called this a “ludicrous claim.”
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has denied that his country is behind the alleged drone attack.
Zelensky has said that Ukraine doesn’t attack Moscow or Putin; it only fights on its own territory to defend its cities and villages.
A planned terrorist and assassination attempt
The president’s office of Russia informed that they had downed two drones overnight. Russia had threatened to retaliate when it considered it necessary.
Online footage showed clouds of smoke rising over the Kremlin and a small explosion above the Senate building, while two men appeared to be trying to climb up the dome.
The Russian presidency had described this alleged drone attack as a “planned terrorist act and an assassination attempt on the president.”
Ukraine has said that the Russian accusations are a precursor to massive attacks on Ukraine, and the US is being cautious about the Russian claims.
A Ukrainian presidential advisor warned that Russia may be preparing for a large-scale terrorist provocation.
The alleged drone attack has come before Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow, an event that several foreign dignitaries are supposed to attend. Moscow’s mayor has announced a ban on the flying of unlicensed drones over the city.
