Ukrainian forces launched a barrage of over 1,000 drones at Russia overnight, with a significant number directed towards Moscow, officials revealed on Sunday. The assault, as the Kremlin concluded its three-day parliamentary elections, was characterized by Moscow’s mayor as the most extensive ever on the Russian capital, resulting in damage to a Moscow oil refinery and a residential structure.
In the broader Moscow region, the drone strike led to the loss of two lives and injuries to 20 individuals, as reported by local Governor Andrei Vorobyov. The casualties included a 74-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman. Ukraine has yet to comment on the attack.
The elections in Russia marked the nation’s first parliamentary election during wartime, a vote largely devoid of opposition to President Vladimir Putin’s policies. The outcome is expected to solidify the Kremlin’s control.
Additionally, Russia conducted voting in four Ukrainian regions that it had annexed illegally post-war onset, along with Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed in 2014. Kyiv has condemned these actions as unlawful. The Russian Ministry of Defence announced the downing of 1,100 Ukrainian drones nationwide, including those over Crimea and the Black Sea waters.
Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin disclosed that 450 drones were intercepted en route to Moscow, causing damage to the Moscow Refinery and a residential building. He labeled the attack on the capital as unprecedented, aimed at disrupting the elections, though he affirmed that the attempt failed.