Russia Rocked by Massive Drone Attack as Ukraine Launches More Than 1,000 Drones

Moscow: On the last day of parliamentary elections in Russia, a major incident of drone attacks came to light in the capital Moscow and surrounding areas. According to Russian officials, more than 1,600 drones have been shot down since Saturday, including about 450 heading towards Moscow. A part of the capital's oil refinery was damaged in the attack and a fire broke out there. Two people have been reported dead in incidents that occurred at different places in the Moscow region. Ukraine did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack.

What picture emerged after the attack in Moscow?

Several explosions were heard in Moscow early Sunday morning. Mayor of the Russian capital Sergei Sobyanin said that the air defence system stopped a large number of drones on their way. According to him, some drones reached deep inside the capital. A drone also hit a residential building. On the other hand, it has also come to light that drones have reached the premises of the oil refinery. A plume of smoke was seen rising from there and emergency teams reached the spot.

How much damage was caused by the fire in the refinery?

This is not the first attack on a Moscow oil refinery. In the latest incident, a facility at the plant was damaged and caught fire. At present the complete assessment of the loss has not been done. According to Reuters, witnesses heard explosions and saw smoke rising from the direction of the refinery. This plant is among the major oil processing centers of Russia. According to available data, more than 11.6 million tonnes of crude oil was processed here in 2024.

How did two people die?

Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov informed about the deaths of two people. According to the reports, the dead include a 74-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman. A 21-storey building was also damaged during the attack. After the fire there, about 400 people were evacuated safely, of which about 70 were children. According to officials, many people have also been injured in this incident.

Why is the attack important on the last day of elections?

The timing of the drone attack is especially important for Russia. Sunday was the last day of the three-day long parliamentary elections in the country. Moscow Mayor Sobyanin alleged that the attack was aimed at disrupting the electoral process. He claimed that despite sending such a large number of drones, voting did not stop. However, this allegation was made by Russian officials and Ukraine did not immediately accept responsibility.

What is at stake in Russia's elections this time?

These are the first parliamentary elections after the start of Russia's full military operation on Ukraine in 2022. Voting for the State Duma was conducted for three days. Russia has also conducted voting in Ukrainian territories under its occupation, which Ukraine has rejected. According to Russian officials, there was also an attempt to cyberattack Moscow's online voting system during the elections. At the same time, the Kremlin is linking the elections to the country's current policies and public support amid the war.

Were there attacks in other parts of Russia as well?

Apart from Moscow, drone activities were also seen in many other areas of Russia. The Russian Defence Ministry has claimed to have intercepted a large number of drones across the country. Ukraine has been targeting Russia's energy infrastructure and oil installations with long-range drones for some time. On the other hand, both countries accuse each other of attacks and deny targeting civilians. After the latest attack, the security of refineries and other energy establishments has once again come into discussion.