Explosions near Moscow: Conflicting reports on cause

On Monday evening in Balashikha near Moscow, explosions were heard. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Russian air defense system allegedly shot down a small balloon over the territory of the Moscow region. However, city authorities reported it was a drone.

"Around 1 PM, a small balloon was destroyed over the territory of the Moscow region using regular air defense measures," reads the Russian Ministry of Defense communiqué.

Air services also conveyed that airplanes at Moscow airports had to alter their takeoff and landing courses.

In the city of Balashikha near Moscow, explosions were heard. However, the governor of the Moscow region, Andrey Vorobyov, reported that it was caused by a small drone and not a balloon.

The governor reported that the air defense system shot down the drone around 1 PM in the Kuchino district. Fragments fell on a private house.

Vorobyov also stated that residents heard several "booms." Russian propaganda deliberately avoids using the word "explosion"; instead, the reports use the word "chlopok" (boom).

In many recordings shared on Telegram, a drone can be seen moving.

Earlier, Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked facilities in Gelendzhik, located in the Krasnodar region, where the palace of Russian leader Vladimir Putin is nearby.

"Last night, the Kyiv regime attempted to attack civilian targets in the territory of Gelendzhik with drones. (...) In the village of Krynytsia, wreckage from one of the drones damaged an unfinished building. In the village of Dzhanhot, a drone hit trees, and the fire was extinguished. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties," wrote the governor of the Krasnodar region, Veniamin Kondratyev.

The Russian Ministry of Defense had earlier reported that, allegedly, four drones were destroyed overnight in the Krasnodar region.