Massive Ukrainian drone strike

Russia's parliamentary election concluded on Sunday amid massive Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow, as Kremlin officials claimed Kiev aimed to interfere with the vote. United Russia party emerged victorious, securing 49.4% of the vote based on preliminary results from Russian news outlets. This was the country's first parliamentary election since Putin initiated the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and was considered a gauge of public support for the war effort.

The Kremlin urged Russians to vote in favor of the war, while war veterans backed United Russia candidates. Democracy watchdogs, Western governments, and Kremlin critics denounced the election as neither free nor fair, alleging the authorities suppressed genuine opposition and controlled the political environment. Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Election Commission, blamed the drone attacks on Ukraine, as well as cyberattacks aimed at Russia's online voting system, though attempts to disrupt the election were unsuccessful.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin of Moscow echoed these accusations, describing the drone assault as the "largest attack by enemy drones on Moscow" with 450 drones intercepted, though one reached the oil refinery grounds, causing fires and smoke. At least three fatalities and 20 injuries were reported in the Moscow region, with residential buildings damaged and hundreds evacuated.

All four Moscow airports were placed under restrictions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky validated the drone strikes on Moscow, revealing attacks on key oil and logistics facilities. Zelensky attributed these strikes to Ukraine's use of various weapons, including drones and ballistic missiles, though the range of the Pelican missile was questioned, as it may not have been able to reach Moscow from Ukraine.

Zelensky also criticized Russia's war, specifically targeting a facility in Voronezh, a region bordering Ukraine, resulting in 43 intercepted drones, two injuries, and property damage. Ukraine's ongoing defense against Russia's invasion since February 2022 has increasingly targeted deep locations within Russia, notably oil facilities crucial to sustaining Moscow's war economy.