Major fire reportedly breaks out at tourist complex in Moscow

A massive fire reportedly broke out at a tourist complex in Moscow overnight on May 13, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

The blaze, which reportedly exceeds an area of more than 3,000 square meters (32,000 square feet), was reported at the Izmailovo Kremlin complex in eastern Moscow, a cultural and entertainment complex that seeks to mimic the architectural stylings of the Kremlin.

Local residents reported that part of the building housing an escape room venue collapsed having been fully engulfed by the fire.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, and no information was available as to any casualties.

The Kyiv Independent cannot verify the exact location of the fire.

The fire, which is not immediately attributable to Ukrainian military operations, comes amid growing concern in the Russian capital following recent reported Ukrainian strikes targeting the region.

On May 4, Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack hitting a high-rise residential complex in the Moscow's downtown, just three kilometers (about 2 miles) from the Russian Defense Ministry building.

Fears of Ukrainian attacks on the Red Square subsequently grew in the days leading up to Victory Day celebrations on May 9, forcing the Kremlin to unilaterally declare a ceasefire for for May 8-9.

Ukraine later declared its own ceasefire, to begin midnight on May 6 before U.S. President Donald Trump announced three-day truce between Kyiv and Moscow from May 9-11.

The ceasefire negotiations culminated with President Volodymyr Zelensky signing a presidential decree "to allow a parade to be held in Moscow on May, 9, 2026."

During the ceasefire, there were no large-scale airstrikes, though the Ukrainian Air Force reported Russian drone launches and the firing of one Iskander-M ballistic missile from occupied Crimea.

Russian forces resumed their attacks on Kyiv overnight on May 12, launching dozens of drones towards the capital and hitting a residential building in the city, local officials reported.