Moscow Hit by Huge Drone Wave
Moscow and surrounding areas came under one of the largest reported Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian capital, according to Russian officials.
At least two people were killed in the wider Moscow region, while a major oil refinery in the capital was damaged. The attack happened as Russia entered the final day of its parliamentary elections.
Russia Says More Than 1,600 Drones Were Intercepted
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences had intercepted more than 1,600 drones since Saturday, including about 450 that were heading toward Moscow.
Sobyanin described the assault as unprecedented and accused Ukraine of trying to disrupt the elections. He said the attack failed to prevent voting from continuing.
Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the strikes.
Two People Killed as Buildings Are Damaged
Moscow regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said a 44-year-old woman and an elderly man were killed at separate locations.
A drone strike also caused a fire at a 21-storey residential building in the Ramenskoye area. Around 400 residents, including 70 children, were evacuated as emergency crews dealt with the damage. Other homes in the area were also affected.
AP reported that at least 20 people were injured in the wider Moscow region, although casualty figures may change as authorities continue assessing the damage.
Moscow Oil Refinery Hit
Several drones reached the grounds of the Moscow oil refinery, according to Sobyanin. The facility was damaged and smoke was seen rising from the site.
The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear. Reuters witnesses reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke near the refinery. The plant has been targeted in previous attacks and is an important part of Russia's fuel-processing network.
The latest strike comes as Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities have increasingly affected the country's fuel industry. Reuters recently reported that several major Russian refineries had reduced production following drone attacks, contributing to fuel shortages and higher prices in some regions.
Attack Comes During Russia's Parliamentary Election
The timing of the attack has added another layer to the incident. Russians were voting in parliamentary elections, the first national parliamentary vote since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sobyanin said the attack was intended to interfere with the election, but there was no indication that voting across the country had been stopped.
Energy Infrastructure Remains a Major Target
The Moscow attack is part of a wider campaign in which Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure belonging to the other side.
The strikes have continued despite recent claims by US President Donald Trump that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to stop attacking each other's energy facilities. Both Russia and Ukraine have continued accusing the other side of violating understandings surrounding the conflict.
Ukraine Also Reports Russian Drone Attack
While Moscow was dealing with the large-scale attack, Ukraine reported another overnight wave of Russian drones.
Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 138 drones, with its air defences reporting that 101 were shot down or otherwise neutralized. The exchange underlines how drone warfare has become a major part of the conflict, with both sides increasingly using long-range unmanned aircraft against targets far from the front lines.
The latest attacks come as the war continues into its fifth year, with diplomatic efforts still struggling to produce a lasting end to the fighting.
