Moscow Is Now Feeling the Consequences of the War the Kremlin Started

Recent drone strikes targeting Moscow mark another significant moment in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. For much of the conflict, the Russian leadership attempted to preserve the image that the war existed somewhere distant — confined to Ukrainian cities and far from the daily lives of ordinary Russians. That illusion is increasingly collapsing.

While Russian authorities condemn attacks on Moscow as unacceptable escalations, it is important to recognize the broader context. For more than three years, Ukraine has endured relentless missile and drone strikes against residential neighborhoods, civilian infrastructure, and energy systems. Entire communities have lived under constant threat as a direct result of Russia’s decision to invade a sovereign nation.

The appearance of drone warfare over Moscow is not an isolated development disconnected from the war itself. It is a consequence of the Kremlin’s continued aggression and refusal to pursue meaningful de-escalation. Wars rarely remain geographically contained indefinitely, especially when one side continues to intensify military operations.

None of this diminishes the tragedy of civilian suffering. Fear, destruction, and loss of life are devastating regardless of nationality. However, responsibility for the widening consequences of this conflict rests with the Russian leadership that initiated and continues to sustain the invasion. The damage now appearing inside Russia is inseparable from the policies and decisions that brought the war into existence in the first place.