UKRAINE was warned it faced nuclear attack today after drones blitzed Moscow – sparking blasts “within earshot” of Vladimir Putin’s home.
A wave of kamikaze flying bombs targeted posh suburbs of the Russian capital where the tyrant and his cronies have luxury retreats.
The unmanned air strikes came hours after a Ukrainian commander vowed to avenge the latest of a string of Russian air raids on Kyiv.
But Ukraine denied any involvement amid fears that the attacks were another “false flag” ruse ordered by Putin himself to enable him to escalate the conflict.
The Kremlin went on to directly accuse Ukraine of targeting Russia – a claim which backs Putin’s lie that Ukraine and the West bent on destroying his motherland.
Putin said Ukraine was attempting "to intimidate Russia, Russian citizens and attacks on residential buildings".
More on Russia
Putin’s mercenary chief slams Vlad’s ‘scum’ cronies after Moscow drone blitz
Drones hit ‘in earshot’ of Putin palace in ‘worst attack on Moscow since WW2’
He said: "We have spoken about hitting command centres (in Ukraine).
"In response, the Kyiv regime has chosen a different path, the path of trying to frighten Russia, frighten the citizens of Russia and of strikes on residential buildings.
"Moscow's air defense system worked normally, satisfactorily, although there is some work to do."
And within hours hardline pro-Putin MPs were baying for a nuclear response.
Most read in The Sun
Shocking moment TV legend calls Holly Willoughby a 'little b****'
Emmerdale spoiler for today May 30, 2023: Moira makes shock discovery about Isaac
Eamonn Holmes says Holly should 'follow Phil out the door' in jaw-dropping attack
ITV ignored Phillip Schofield warning over 'queue-jumping' backlash
MP Oleg Nilov said: “Moscow was subject to a drone attack by the Ukrainian terrorist state
“Our response can be made from all available options of the Russian Armed Forces – tactical nuclear weapons won’t stay shelved for too long.”
Footage showed a mushroom cloud caused by a drone around two miles from the village of Usovo, close to Putin's official Novo-Ogaryovo Moscow residence.
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu also lives nearby along with other Kremlin bigwigs in a posh enclave dubbed Moscow’s "golden mile".
Other drone strikes targeted Ilyinskoye, Timoshkino, Romashkovo and Greenfield as video showed craft flying overhead before locals heard loud bangs and smelled aviation fuel.
Prime minister Mikhail Mishustin, 57, and state gas giant Gazprom boss Alexei Miller, 61, both live in Greenfield in the swanky Rublyovka district.
Reports suggested at least eight drones homed in on the areas where Putin’s oligarch cronies have luxury “dacha” retreats.
Several were said to have been shot down by ground-to-air missiles or forced to crash by jamming technology.
But some breached defences as the Ukraine war appeared to be coming to Putin’s own backyard.
Blasts were also reported in New Moscow and Novaya Riga near Moscow as “aircraft type” drones with rear propellers were spotted.
State sources said another drone was shot down in the village of Razdory – six miles from the Russian leader's luxury palace.
A Pantsir-S1 air defence missile system was reportedly installed near Putin's retreat earlier this year to shield him from air attack.
It was unclear whether he was on his estate at the time of yesterday’s strikes.
Apartment blocks were also hit in Leninsky Prospekt and Profsoyuznaya Street six miles from the centre of Moscow, wounding several residents.
Blocks of flats and other tall buildings had windows blown out as locals scattered in panic as FSB intelligence investigators rushed to multiple sites.
Yesterday’s attacks came after Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov warned Russia to expect a response to waves of attacks on Kyiv in recent days.
Budanov said: "All those who tried to intimidate us, dreaming that this would have some effect, you will regret it very soon.
“Our answer will not be long in coming. Soon everyone will see everything.”
Moscow has remained largely undisturbed by the ravages of Putin’s war, which has killed up to 200,000 Russian troops and claimed the lives of thousands of Ukrainian civilians.
Read More on The Sun
Towie rocked by show’s ‘worst ever feud’ that’s left cast more divided than ever
The UK beach that’s been compared to the Maldives with white sand & blue waters
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine was “pleased to watch” the attack and predicted more are to come – but denied involvement.
It came after one person was killed and four were injured by falling debris in the third wave of Russian attacks on Kyiv in 24 hours.
Source: Read Full Article
