At least four people were killed, including three in the Moscow region, after Ukraine launched what local officials described as its biggest overnight drone attack on the Russian capital in more than a year on Sunday. Authorities said a fourth person was killed in the Belgorod region bordering northeastern Ukraine, while Russia’s defence ministry claimed that more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones had been shot down across the country within the past 24 hours.
The large-scale attack came just two days after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed retaliation following Russia’s heaviest drone and missile assault on Kyiv over a two-day period since the war began more than four years ago.
Massive overnight drone strike hits Moscow region as casualties rise and air defences respond across Russia
Confirming the attack, Zelenskiy posted a video on X showing a drone in flight, large columns of black smoke and firefighters attempting to put out flames caused by the strikes. “Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified,” Zelenskiy said.
He further stated that Ukraine had managed to strike targets located more than 500 km (310 miles) from the border despite Russia maintaining heavy air defence systems around Moscow. “We are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war,” he said.
Russia accuses Kyiv of targeting civilians as both sides deny deliberate attacks on non-combatants
Russia’s foreign ministry strongly criticised the strikes and accused Kyiv of deliberately targeting civilians during the overnight drone assault. “To the sound of Eurovision songs, the Kyiv regime, financed by the EU, carried out yet another mass terrorist attack,” TASS news agency quoted foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.
Both Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly denied intentionally targeting civilians since the war began, even as attacks on cities and infrastructure continue on both sides.
Ukraine intensifies long-range drone campaign targeting Russian infrastructure deep inside the country
Ukraine has significantly increased long-range drone strikes inside Russian territory in recent weeks. The attacks have focused on oil refineries, storage depots and pipelines as both countries continue efforts to weaken each other’s infrastructure and supply systems. According to TASS, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed 81 drones heading toward Moscow since midnight. Officials described it as the biggest drone attack on the capital in more than a year.
Sobyanin said 12 people were injured, most of them near the entrance of Moscow’s oil refinery. He added that three residential houses were damaged during the strikes, though the refinery’s “technology” was not affected.
Homes, residential towers and airport areas damaged as rescuers search through debris near Moscow
Moscow regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said a woman was killed after a residential home was struck in Khimki, an area north of Moscow. He added that rescue teams were continuing to search through the debris for another possible victim. Vorobyov also confirmed that two men were killed in the village of Pogorelki in the Mytishchi district during the overnight strikes. Several residential high-rise buildings and infrastructure facilities also suffered damage in the attack.
Meanwhile, Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia’s largest airport, said fragments from intercepted drones had fallen onto airport territory. Officials stated that no damage was caused by the debris.
(with inputs from Reuters)
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
