Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin accused Ukraine of launching a large-scale drone attack aimed at disrupting Russia’s legislative elections, as authorities reported that two people had been killed, hundreds evacuated and residential areas and a major oil refinery in and around Moscow damaged on Sunday morning, the third and final day of voting.
Russian accusations and attack involving hundreds of drones
In a post on Telegram, Sobyanin said Russian air defences had shot down more than 1,600 drones since Saturday, including 450 that were heading towards the capital. He added: “It is clear that this unprecedented attack is aimed at disrupting the elections,” condemning the attacks he said Ukraine had carried out against Moscow. Russian authorities said the capital and surrounding area had come under attack by hundreds of drones on Sunday morning.
According to the Russian account, the attack damaged a major oil refinery, as well as several residential areas, while air defences continued interception operations. Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov said 249 drones had been intercepted during the attack. Writing on Telegram shortly after 3:00 GMT, he said “the attack is continuing”, reporting the deaths of a 44-year-old woman and an elderly man in two different areas.
Hundreds evacuated after fire breaks out
At a third site hit by the attacks, 400 people were evacuated after a drone fell on a building and started a fire, according to Vorobyov. The developments coincided with the final day of the legislative elections, which President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is expected to win.
The attacks came despite US President Donald Trump saying on Monday that Russia and Ukraine had pledged to stop targeting energy infrastructure in both countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier said Kyiv was ready to take “de-escalatory steps” if Moscow did the same, a gesture the Kremlin described as “a good idea”.
Zelenskyy also announced that he intended to meet Trump in New York the following week, expressing hope that direct talks with Russia would resume after the legislative elections. The Kremlin, meanwhile, did not rule out holding a meeting during the following October.
