Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, announced that Ukraine carried out its "largest ever" attack on the Russian capital and surrounding area on the final day of Russia's parliamentary elections. The attack involved over 1,000 drones, resulting in at least two fatalities and damage to a major oil refinery. Sobyanin linked the attack to the vote, stating it was "clearly planned with the aim of disrupting the elections." He added that the enemy did not succeed in their objective.
The attack on Moscow was one of the largest mounted by Ukraine against the capital. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, 1,110 Ukrainian drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted and destroyed overnight. Mayor Sobyanin reported that over 1,600 drones had been shot down across Russia since Saturday, with 450 approaching the capital city. Despite this, several drones reached the Moscow Refinery, and one struck a residential building.
The Ukrainian General Staff identified the main target of the attack as the Gazpromneft-Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district of the Russian capital. This facility is one of the largest refineries in the country in terms of volume. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the attack against Russia, stating that their long-range responses had a significant impact in the Moscow region.
President Zelensky added that the targeted facilities were bringing in "billions of dollars that sustain the war machine." He did not mention the election in his statement. The attack occurred as Russia continued voting in its first parliamentary elections since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party is widely expected to win due to the absence of credible opposition.
The governor of the wider Moscow region, Andrey Vorobiev, reported that two people were killed and 20, including three children, were injured in the attacks overnight. Meanwhile, Russia continued to attack Ukraine with drones and missiles. Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the Kyiv region military administration, stated that attacks overnight into Sunday killed three children and one woman.
Russia has been launching near-constant aerial attacks against Ukraine, and Kyiv in particular, for almost a month. President Zelensky stated that this week alone, Russia launched over 2,000 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs, and 19 missiles of various types against Ukraine. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate.
Among the areas voting in the Russian parliamentary elections are four Ukrainian regions illegally annexed by Russia but not fully under the Kremlin's control. The elections are expected to solidify President Putin's power, while Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression. The international community remains concerned about the ongoing conflict and its humanitarian implications.
Key points
- Ukraine launched its "largest ever" drone attack on Moscow, killing at least two people and damaging an oil refinery.
- The attack occurred as Russia's parliamentary elections entered their final day, with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party expected to win.
- Russia continues to launch near-constant aerial attacks against Ukraine, resulting in significant casualties and damage.
