Ukraine carried out its largest drone attack in more than a year, striking multiple Russian regions, including Moscow, with over 500 drones.
Russian authorities confirmed at least four deaths and widespread damage.
Russia’s defence ministry reported intercepting 556 drones across more than a dozen regions. Moscow alone saw 74 drones shot down, making it one of the most intense nights of aerial conflict since the war began.
Moscow regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said three people died in the capital region, including a woman killed when a drone hit her house. Another victim remained trapped under rubble for hours before rescue teams reached him. The Belgorod region reported one additional death.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that debris from intercepted drones injured 12 people in the broader Moscow area. He urged residents to follow emergency instructions as minor damage was recorded at several sites.
The strikes damaged residential buildings and infrastructure facilities, though officials have not disclosed the full extent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had recently vowed intensified retaliatory operations after a Russian strike on Kyiv killed 24 people.
Both sides have escalated aerial warfare with drones and missiles, turning the conflict into a battle of long‑range strikes. Analysts say the growing sophistication of drone attacks has forced Russia and Ukraine to invest heavily in layered air defence and electronic warfare systems.
