Ukraine launched a significant drone attack on Moscow and surrounding areas as Russia concluded its parliamentary elections, resulting in the deaths of at least three people and damage to an oil refinery, according to Russian authorities. The attack marked an escalation in Ukraine’s use of long-range drones to target Russian infrastructure.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that more than 1,600 drones had been intercepted since the start of the assault on Saturday, with approximately 450 drones aimed directly at the capital. Some drones successfully hit the Moscow Oil Refinery, while a residential building in the Moscow region suffered damage, leading to the evacuation of around 400 residents from a 21-storey apartment building. Emergency services were promptly dispatched to the affected sites.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the strikes were intended to target Russia’s key energy and logistics infrastructure. He emphasized Ukraine’s strategy of employing domestically produced weapons to reach deep into Russian territory, aiming particularly at energy facilities.
The timing of the drone offensive coincided with the final day of Russia’s parliamentary elections, the first since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russian officials have accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the electoral process, while Kyiv continues its campaign against Russian military and energy targets.
