As Russia wrapped up its parliamentary elections, a large-scale drone attack launched by Ukraine targeted Moscow and its surrounding areas, according to Russian authorities. The assault, which occurred on the final day of voting, resulted in at least three casualties and damage to an oil refinery, highlighting the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Russian officials, including Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, reported that over 1,600 drones had been intercepted since the attack began on Saturday, with approximately 450 heading toward the Russian capital. The drones managed to reach the Moscow Oil Refinery, and a residential building in the Moscow region also sustained damage. In response, emergency services evacuated around 400 people from a damaged 21-storey apartment building.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the strikes were aimed at crippling key Russian energy and logistics infrastructure. This marks a continued strategic effort by Ukraine to use long-range drones and domestically produced weaponry to penetrate deep into Russian territory, specifically targeting energy facilities.
The timing of the attack coincided with Russia’s first parliamentary election since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russian officials have accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the electoral process, while Kyiv maintains its focus on undermining Russian military and energy capabilities.