At least three people were killed and several injured overnight in a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region, Russian officials have confirmed.
A woman died in Khimki, north of Moscow, and a person was trapped under rubble, said regional governor Andrei Vorobiev. Additionally, a man and a woman were killed in the village of Pogorelki.
Reports from India indicated that a male Indian citizen was among the deceased, with three others injured, though it's unclear if these casualties were included in Vorobiev's figures. Another fatality occurred in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the strikes as an entirely justified reaction to deadly Russian aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities.
Russian state news agency Tass referred to these strikes as the most significant attack on Moscow in over a year.
Earlier this week, a massive Russian drone and missile strike resulted in 24 deaths in Kyiv.
In Ukraine, eight individuals were reported injured due to nighttime Russian drone attacks and shelling in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.
Regarding the ongoing conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, currently overseeing Russian control of approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Governor Vorobiev stated that since 3 AM, air defense forces had been engaged in repelling the extensive UAV assault on the capital region.
Authorities reported that four people, including three men and a woman, sustained injuries in the region, and several residences were damaged. A private residence was ablaze in the village of Subbotino, southwest of Moscow.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported injuries to 12 individuals following drone strikes on an entrance to the city's oil refinery, with several homes in the vicinity sustaining damage.
Russia's military announced they intercepted 556 drones nationwide, approximately 130 of which were in the Moscow region.
Meanwhile, Sheremetyevo Airport, Moscow's busiest, reported finding drone wreckage on its premises, although no injuries were reported. Airport authorities assured that operations remained calm and stable.
In a post on Telegram, Zelensky stated that Ukraine's long-range sanctions have reached the Moscow region, reflecting on the recent drone attack.
Ukraine's state security service (SBU) indicated that it, in conjunction with the military, had targeted several oil facilities and a semiconductor plant in the Moscow area, and emphasized attacks on military air defense systems in Crimea as part of their strategic campaign.
Recent months have seen Ukraine ramp up its operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure, asserting these are legitimate objectives as they sustain the Russian war effort.
