Ukraine has carried out one of its largest drone attacks on Russia since the start of the war, striking Moscow and the surrounding region and killing at least four people, local authorities said.
The assault formed part of a broader overnight operation in which Ukraine launched about 500 drones at targets across Russia, with roughly 120 of them directed at the capital. It was among the heaviest barrages aimed at Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Russian air defences shot down 81 drones heading for Moscow overnight, according to the state news agency Tass, citing the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. Mr Sobyanin said at least 12 people were wounded in the capital, most of them near the entrance to a city oil refinery.
Three of the four reported deaths occurred in the wider Moscow region. The Indian embassy in Russia said one Indian national had been killed and three others injured in the attacks near the capital.
Sheremetyevo, one of Moscow’s main airports, said drone debris had fallen on its grounds without causing damage or disrupting flights.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the strikes, describing them as “entirely justified.” He praised what he called Ukraine’s growing long-range drone capability, which has allowed Kyiv to reach deep into Russian territory.
Analysts said the operation appeared to be a direct response to recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, including a strike on Kyiv this month that killed more than two dozen people.
Russia has subjected Ukrainian cities to sustained aerial bombardment throughout the war, and monitoring groups have recorded a steady escalation in the number of strikes during 2026. The latest exchange underscored how far the air war has expanded beyond the front lines.