In a coordinated operation on Sunday, Ukrainian forces sent more than 1,000 drones and a barrage of missiles toward Russian territory, an effort described by Moscow as the “largest ever” drone attack of the war. The strike coincided with the final day of Russia’s parliamentary elections, which the Kremlin says concluded with two fatalities and 20 injuries.
Ukrainian claims and objectives
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X that the long‑range response targeted “key enterprises of the Russian Federation’s oil industry and an aggressor’s logistics facility,” calling the hits “billions of dollars that support the war machine.” He framed the operation as a stern response to ongoing Russian aggression and urged the United States, Europe and the G7 to impose “new, strong sanctions” against Moscow.
Russian defense and reported damage
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said its forces shot down a total of 1,110 Ukrainian drones across the country, including over Crimea and the Black Sea. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 450 drones were destroyed before reaching the capital and that the attack damaged the Moscow Oil Refinery and a residential building.
According to local governor Andrei Vorobyov, two people were killed and 20 wounded in the Moscow region as a result of the attacks.
Broader context of the conflict
The drone barrage came as Russia wrapped up its first wartime parliamentary election, a vote largely lacking opposition to President Vladimir Putin’s policies. Voting also took place in four Ukrainian regions claimed by Moscow and in the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Putin, in a televised address before the election, emphasized national unity and support for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, stating that the vote would demonstrate the people’s shared values and love for the homeland.
Additional incidents
In related developments, a Russian drone strike hit a monastery in Ukraine’s Kherson region, killing a clergy member and wounding four others, according to President Zelenskyy. A separate Russian drone attack on Kyiv resulted in the deaths of three children and their mother, as reported by Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv regional state administration.
Both sides continue to exchange statements blaming the other for civilian casualties and emphasizing the need for stronger defensive measures.
International reactions
Zelenskyy called on Western allies to increase pressure on Moscow, arguing that “the United States has the means to do this, Europe has them, and so does every G7 country.” He urged partners to find ways to make Russia feel the impact of its war and to pursue de‑escalation steps in energy and food security.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, accused Ukraine of attempting to interfere with the election, citing an alleged strike that killed an election official in the Russian‑controlled part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. Reuters could not independently verify the details of that claim.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
