Moscow was shaken by a series of drone attacks on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, and the Kremlin attributed the authorship to Ukraine, accusing it of terrorism and attempting to intimidate the Russians. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine seeks a "symmetrical response" by targeting civilian targets in Russia.

In a statement to public television, Putin stated, "This was an attack on civilian targets in Moscow." The president pointed out that the attack is a response to Russian bombings of military targets in Ukraine, and he described the acts as terrorist activity.

Putin expressed concern over attempts to provoke a response from Russia, making it clear that Russia does not employ the same means as Ukrainian forces. The president emphasized that Russian anti-aircraft defense performed satisfactorily but acknowledged the need for improvements. He underscored the importance of reinforcing Moscow's anti-aircraft defense, a megalopolis with approximately 13 million inhabitants.

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reproached the West for its support of Ukraine, accusing it of pushing the Ukrainian government to carry out increasingly irresponsible acts. The ministry asserted that Western support for the Kiev regime is impelling Ukrainian leaders to commit criminal acts and sow panic in Russia. Thus far, the Ukrainian government has denied any responsibility for the drone attacks in Moscow.

Russian authorities confirmed that their anti-aircraft defenses successfully shot down eight drones before they reached their targets, preventing casualties and significant damage. However, it is estimated that around 30 remotely controlled aircraft participated in the operation.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated in a press release, "This morning, the Kyiv regime launched a terrorist attack with unmanned vehicles near the city of Moscow, but all the vehicles were shot down." The attack is considered a retaliation for Russia's previous bombing of a Ukrainian secret service headquarters.