Ukraine executed its largest drone assault on Moscow overnight, as stated by Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. He reported that over 450 drones aimed at the Russian capital were intercepted and shot down. The assault coincided with the final day of voting in Russia’s parliamentary elections, where President Putin’s United Russia Party is anticipated to succeed. Notably, the only registered anti-war party faced a ban, and opposition activists have been detained.
Details of the Attack
Sobyanin confirmed that drones impacted both the Moscow Oil Refinery and a residential building. Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyev, utilizing social media platform Telegram, reported two fatalities and six injuries. The victims included an elderly man from the Orekhovo-Zuevo district and a 44-year-old female from Sofyino, southwest of Moscow. Vorobyev further stated that in the wider Moscow region, 249 drones were neutralized, leading to several homes catching fire.
As a safety precaution, flights at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport were temporarily suspended but have since resumed operations.
Reactions from Ukrainian Leadership
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used a post on X to announce that the attacks targeted a significant facility within Russia’s oil industry and logistics. Although footage was shared, its authenticity has not been independently verified by Newsweek. Zelensky urged Moscow to cease its aggressive war tactics, emphasizing the need for political action towards de-escalation, particularly in energy and food security.
In a separate incident, Ukrainian officials reported fatalities in Kyiv and Sumy regions from Russian strikes, totaling eight victims, including three children.
Strikes on Russian Infrastructure
Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. These efforts have critically impacted Russia’s refining abilities, reportedly bringing them to a 20-year low. Fuel shortages at various gas stations have been observed, as per the International Energy Agency.
Ukrainian strikes have also targeted warehouses of Wildberries, a significant Russian e-commerce entity accused of supplying components for Russian drones, a claim Moscow refutes. Russian retaliations have been severe, targeting Ukrainian infrastructure and businesses, notably an attack on a shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih, which resulted in 16 deaths in late August.
Ukrainian Counteroffensive
The confrontation remains intense along the frontlines, with the eastern Donbas region garnering significant attention. Recently, Ukraine launched an offensive against Russian positions near Lyman. Giorgi Revishvili, a military analyst noted that Ukrainian forces successfully dismantled a Russian salient north of Lyman.
International Response
This week, President Trump enacted a sanctions bill, aimed at imposing up to 100 percent tariffs on major Russian oil and gas consumers. The legislation also sanctions Russian banks and oil tankers, alongside President Putin himself.
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