Residents of Moscow and Suburbs Report No Official Warnings During Major Drone Attack

Residents of Moscow and the Moscow region have reported a lack of official warnings during a large-scale drone attack that occurred on June 18, described as the largest since the start of the full-scale war. No SMS alerts or sirens were activated, leaving residents to rely on local chat groups and social media for information about the threat.

One resident from the southeast of Moscow, where the Moscow Oil Refinery (Moscow NPZ) is located and where a significant fire broke out after the drone strike, told Meduza that there were no SMS messages or sirens, and that more information was available in local chats than on television. Another resident who claimed to have been awake since 4:48 a.m. stated that no official warnings had been issued.

In nearby towns such as Kotelniki, Krasnogorsk, and Ramenskoye, residents only learned of the danger by observing the drones or the resulting damage. Local authorities in Kotelniki stated that the activation of warning systems is handled centrally by the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS), not by local administrations. Meanwhile, authorities in Orekhovo-Zuyevo explained that decisions to activate warning systems are made based on the operational situation and only when there is an immediate threat.

In a separate development, the administration of Kotelniki declined to disclose the locations of shelters to residents, stating that such information would be provided during mobilization and wartime. Meduza noted that mobilization has not officially ended and President Putin has not signed a related decree.

The incident has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the public warning system in the Moscow region during emergencies.