Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Moscow and surrounding areas on Sunday as Russia entered the final day of its three-day parliamentary election.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the assault as the largest drone attack on the Russian capital so far. He said more than 1,600 drones had been intercepted across Russia since Saturday, including about 450 that were heading toward Moscow.
Russian authorities reported two deaths in the wider Moscow region. A facility at the Moscow oil refinery was also damaged, while a residential building was hit by a drone. Officials said hundreds of residents were evacuated from a damaged apartment block in the Ramenskoye district.
The attacks caused disruption at several Moscow airports, with flights delayed or cancelled as authorities responded to the drone activity. Witnesses also reported explosions and smoke around the refinery area. The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
Sobyanin said the attack was intended to disrupt Russia's parliamentary election but claimed it had failed to achieve that objective. Ukraine did not immediately comment on all of the Russian authorities' claims, although President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later confirmed strikes on Russian facilities.
The drone attack came as Russians cast ballots on the third and final day of elections for the 450-seat State Duma. The vote is the first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The election has faced criticism over restrictions on political competition. Reuters reported that many anti-war candidates were barred from participating, while Russia's government has defended restrictions as necessary during the conflict. Kyiv has rejected the Russian-organised voting in occupied Ukrainian territories as illegitimate.
Russian authorities also reported cyberattacks against the online voting system in Moscow during the election. Officials said the attacks were repelled and that voting remained under control. Reuters said it could not independently verify some of the authorities' claims.
The latest escalation comes amid continued attacks by both Russia and Ukraine on military, energy and other infrastructure. The drone strikes highlight the growing reach of Ukraine's long-range attacks inside Russia, while Russian forces continue to launch air attacks against targets across Ukraine.