Ukraine Launches Largest Drone Attack to Date on Russia During Parliamentary Elections

On the final day of Russia’s parliamentary election voting, Ukraine carried out its largest-ever drone attack targeting Moscow and surrounding areas. According to a statement released by the Russian Ministry of Defense on Sunday, over 1,900 drones, eight guided aerial bombs, eight cruise missiles, and four rockets were launched overnight. This represents the most extensive drone assault Ukraine has conducted so far. However, Ukraine has not confirmed the exact number of drones and missiles it deployed.

The attack resulted in at least three fatalities and caused damage to a major oil processing facility in the Moscow region. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin linked the strike to the elections, describing it as a “deliberately planned attack intended to disrupt the electoral process.” Sunday also marked the third and final voting day of Russia’s first parliamentary elections held since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. With a lack of strong opposition, President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is expected to secure an easy victory.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the operation against Russia via Telegram, although he made no direct reference to the elections. Among the regions where voting took place are four Ukrainian territories Russia claims to have annexed illegally, though they remain not fully controlled by Kremlin forces. Zelensky stated, “Last night, our long-range retaliatory strike on the Moscow region had a significant effect.” He added that the targeted facilities generated “billions of dollars” in revenue that financed the military machinery sustaining the war.