4 dead as Ukraine launches one of largest drone attacks on Russia; expert sees retaliation

Kyiv: One of Ukraine’s largest drone strikes on Russia killed at least four people, including three near Moscow, and injured at least 12 others, Russian authorities said on Sunday.

Debris from drones fell at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, Russia’s largest airport, though officials said there was no damage or disruption to flights.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attacks and defended them.

“Our responses to Russia's prolongation of the war and attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified. This time, Ukrainian long-distance sanctions have reached the Moscow region, and we are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war,” Zelenskyy said.

A woman was killed after a drone struck her home in Khimki, northwest of Moscow, according to regional governor Andrei Vorobyev. Two men also died in the village of Pogorelki, about 10 kilometres north of the capital.

Vorobyev said Ukrainian drones damaged unspecified “infrastructure” and several high-rise buildings.

In Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, one man was killed after a drone hit a truck, local authorities said.

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said most of the injuries in the capital occurred near the entrance to the city’s oil refinery. He added that the refinery’s “technology” had not been damaged.

Russian state agency Tass, citing Sobyanin, reported that air defences shot down 81 drones headed towards Moscow overnight.

Russia’s defence ministry said 556 drones were destroyed over Russian territory overnight. By midday local time, officials said more than 1,000 drones had been shot down or jammed within 24 hours. 

Zelenskyy said the drones travelled more than 500 kilometres from Ukrainian territory and claimed Ukraine was “overcoming” Russian air defence systems around Moscow.

Expert says strike appeared to be retaliation for attacks on Kyiv

Nigel Gould Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said the strike appeared to be retaliation for recent Russian attacks on Kyiv.

“It brings home the fact Ukraine has the capacity to strike at very significant scale at or around the Russian capital,” Gould Davies told The Associated Press.

“There is no ongoing peace process to disrupt. What (the attack) is more likely to do is add to the darkening cloud of anxiety over Russia which has developed palpably over the last three or four months,” he said.

He also cited Russia’s recent battlefield setbacks, economic difficulties and tighter internet controls.

“The fact that Ukraine is reminding the Moscow population that it is vulnerable to these attacks is likely to intensify the mix of concerns now,” Gould Davies said.

Russian drone strikes wound eight in Ukraine

Russia launched 287 drones at Ukraine overnight into Sunday, according to the Ukrainian air force, which said 279 were shot down or jammed.

Eight people were injured in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, including three in Dnipro, four in Kryvyi Rih and one in the Synelkove district, Ukraine’s state emergency service said.

Residential buildings were damaged in all three locations.