Ukraine attacked Moscow on Wednesday with at least 11 drones that were shot down by air defences in what Russian officials called one of the biggest drone strikes on the capital since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.
The war, largely a grinding artillery and drone battle across the fields, forests and villages of eastern Ukraine, escalated on Aug. 6 when Ukraine sent thousands of soldiers over the border into Russia’s western Kursk region.
For months, Ukraine has also fought an increasingly damaging drone war against the refineries and airfields of Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter, though major drone attacks on the Moscow region - with a population of over 21 million - have been rarer.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences destroyed a total of 45 drones over Russian territory, including 11 over the Moscow region, 23 over the border region of Bryansk, six over the Belgorod region, three over the Kaluga region and two over the Kursk region.
But were the drones shot down or “shot down”?
It’s whatever you want to believe. For folks on the opposite side of the world, this conflict is purely about vibes.
Getting objective information is difficult, but not impossible. If, for example, an oil refinery is burning then it probably wasn’t just hit by debris.
Sure. But it has no impact on any of us. It’s just headlines to boo or cheer.
People are clapping like seals at the latest reported horror of war. But they don’t really suffer or benefit in any way.
I’m fairly confident that ensuring countries remain sovereign is a net benefit for the world, even if I never step foot in Ukraine. We are lucky to live in this time of relative global peace, and strongmen countries invading others just because they can is something we need to put behind us.
I know a woman with the strange ability to feel no strong emotions about things that are outside of her control, especially if they also don’t directly affect her life. I think she’s unusual and most people do genuinely care, but maybe I’m biased because I have a personal connection to Ukraine.
Did you know that there are countries out there other than USA, Russia, Ukraine and China?