LONDON — Smoke billowed over Moscow on Sunday morning following what Russian officials described as an unprecedented massed drone attack by Ukraine overnight. The strike targeted a major oil refinery operated by state-owned Gazprom and hit residential buildings in the surrounding region, resulting in fatalities and numerous injuries.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported on Telegram that air defenses intercepted 450 Ukrainian drones approaching the capital between Saturday night and Sunday morning. While no casualties occurred within the city limits from direct hits on buildings, Sobyanin noted that several drones reached the Moscow Oil Refinery, and one struck a residential structure.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Counter-Disinformation Center, confirmed a “major incident” at the refinery, which he stated supplies fuel to the Russian capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed the significance of the strike, writing that Kyiv’s long-range operations had a “very significant impact” on the Moscow region. He highlighted that the facility contributes billions of dollars to Russia’s war effort and called on Moscow to choose peace over expanding its air defense infrastructure.
The timing of the attack coincides with ongoing Russian parliamentary elections, with voting scheduled to conclude on Sunday. Sobyanin suggested the operation was clearly intended to disrupt the electoral process.
Andrey Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, provided details on the human cost outside the capital. He reported that two people were killed and 20 injured across the region. One fatality and five injuries occurred in Sofino after a drone hit an apartment block. Another person died in the Orekhovo-Zuevsky area, and one was injured in the Leninsky district. Additional incidents included a fire at an apartment building in Ramensky that forced the evacuation of 400 residents and damaged 20 vehicles, as well as a fire at a warehouse complex in Sofino.
Rosaviatsiya, Russia’s federal air transport agency, imposed temporary flight restrictions at all four of Moscow’s international airports—Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo—throughout the overnight period. These restrictions were lifted by Sunday morning.
In its highest overnight tally, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it shot down 1,110 Ukrainian drones, a figure that analysis by ABC News identifies as the largest single-night count reported by the ministry. Conversely, Ukraine’s air force stated that Russia launched 138 drones into Ukrainian territory overnight, 101 of which were intercepted or suppressed. Approximately half of the Russian drones were jet-powered, with impacts reported in 17 locations.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that three people, including two children, were killed in a separate Russian attack on the Kyiv region.
Two killed in Moscow is significant. This changes the narrative from purely military targets to civilian impact. Very serious escalation.
Over a thousand drones in one night? That’s a staggering number. I wonder how much ammo they actually have left for the winter.
It’s terrifying that residential areas are being targeted during elections. The human cost is escalating, not decreasing.