At least three people have been killed after Ukraine launched one of its largest drone assaults on the Moscow region in more than a year, according to Russian officials and state media.
The overnight attack, which Russian authorities said involved more than 500 drones, struck several locations around the Russian capital, damaging homes, industrial facilities and raising fresh concerns over the growing reach of the war.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin described the incident as the biggest attack on the city in over a year.
One woman reportedly died after a drone struck a private residence in Khimki, northwest of Moscow, while two men were killed in Mytishchi after falling debris hit a building under construction. Authorities said at least 12 people sustained injuries across the region.
India’s embassy in Russia also confirmed that one Indian citizen was killed in the Moscow region, with three others injured during the strikes.
Ukraine’s Security Service said the operation targeted strategic facilities tied to Russia’s military and energy infrastructure. Among the reported targets were oil pumping stations, an oil refinery and the Angstrom semiconductor plant, which allegedly supplies components to Russia’s defence industry.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its air defence systems intercepted 556 Ukrainian drones overnight, while officials in Moscow said more than 120 drones heading toward the capital were shot down.
Despite the interceptions, debris from the attacks caused fires and structural damage in several areas. In Subbotino village, a residential building caught fire, while apartment blocks in Istra sustained damage that left several residents injured.
Fragments were also reported near Sheremetyevo Airport, Russia’s busiest airport, although authorities said operations were not seriously affected and no injuries were recorded there.
The latest assault came days after Russia launched heavy strikes on Ukraine, including attacks on Kyiv that Ukrainian authorities said killed at least 25 people and injured dozens.
Ukraine, meanwhile, said Russia launched 287 drones overnight targeting its territory. Ukrainian air defence systems reportedly intercepted most of them, though several areas, including Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia, recorded injuries and damage.
The exchange of large-scale drone attacks highlights the intensifying technological dimension of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with both sides increasingly targeting strategic infrastructure far beyond frontline battle zones.
