Mass drone barrage on Moscow kills two
A massive drone attack on Moscow during parliamentary elections resulted in two deaths and damage to a major oil refinery. Russian officials accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the election process, despite reports of a prior agreement to avoid energy infrastructure strikes.
Why it matters
This escalation marks a significant intensification of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, potentially destabilizing energy markets and challenging the Kremlin's domestic control during a critical election period.
Hundreds of drones targeting Moscow and its surrounding region killed at least two people and damaged a major refinery on the final day of the country's parliamentary elections, the authorities said on Sunday (September 20, 2026).
The capital's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that more than 1,600 drones had been intercepted and shot down, 450 of which were aimed at Moscow.
He accused Ukraine of attempting to interfere with a tightly controlled three-day election that is set to tighten President Vladimir Putin's 26-year grip on power.
"The unprecedented attack was clearly planned with the aim of disrupting the elections. The enemy did not succeed," he said on Telegram.
Moscow regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said on the social media platform that at least two people were killed — a 44-year-old woman and an elderly man — in two separate locations.
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