In a major escalation of the conflict, Ukraine launched over 1,000 drones at targets across Russia, with a significant portion aimed at Moscow, marking the largest drone assault on the Russian capital to date. The attack resulted in damage to the Moscow Oil Refinery and a residential building, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
Local authorities reported two fatalities and 20 injuries in the wider Moscow region. The drone assault coincided with the final day of Russia’s parliamentary elections, which included voting in Ukrainian territories that Russia occupies and claims. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the strikes targeted oil and logistics facilities integral to Russia’s wartime economy, employing both drones and domestically produced weapons.
Moscow Mayor Sobyanin stated that approximately 450 drones were intercepted while approaching the capital, accusing Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the elections. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the destruction of 1,110 Ukrainian drones across Russia, Crimea, and the Black Sea region.
The strikes underscore the intensifying use of long-range drone warfare between the two nations, with both sides increasingly targeting infrastructure and military sites far from the front lines. Kyiv has dismissed the legitimacy of the Russian-organized elections held in occupied Ukrainian territories, maintaining its stance that such actions are illegal.