Russia reports deadly drone attack on Moscow during final day of election

Russian officials say a large Ukrainian drone attack targeted Moscow and surrounding areas on 20 September, the final day of Russia’s three-day parliamentary election.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 1,600 drones had been intercepted or shot down, including 450 heading towards the capital. The figures were not independently verified, and Russian authorities have given differing accounts of the scale of the attack.

Moscow regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said a 44-year-old woman and an elderly man were killed separately. He said a fire caused by a drone striking a 21-storey building led to the evacuation of about 400 people.

Sobyanin also reported damage to a facility at the Moscow Oil Refinery, while emergency services attended the site. The refinery has reportedly been hit by Ukrainian strikes in recent months as Kyiv has intensified attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Russian officials characterised the attack as an attempt to disrupt the election, but the available material does not independently establish either Ukraine’s responsibility or the alleged purpose.

Separately, Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 138 drones overnight and that 101 were shot down or neutralised, according to Interfax-Ukraine.