Sergei Sobyanin, the Mayor of Moscow, announced that Ukraine carried out its largest drone attack on the Russian capital on Saturday. According to him, 450 drones were shot down on their way to Moscow, resulting in damage to the main oil refinery in Moscow and a residential building.
Details of the Attack and Casualties
The Mayor of Moscow noted that this attack has been described as the "most extensive" to date, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to 20 others. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, confirmed that Kyiv targeted key Russian oil facilities and a logistics center using drones and rockets. Zelensky described these facilities as part of the infrastructure that supplies billions of dollars for Russia's war machine.
Damage to Moscow Oil Refinery
Ukrainian officials claim that three key sections of the Moscow oil refinery were damaged in this attack. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, this refinery supplies more than one-third of the fuel needed for the Moscow region, and part of the petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel produced there is provided to the Russian military. The Ukrainian Defense Minister emphasized that targeting these facilities directly weakens Russia's ability to continue its offensive war and meet its military needs.
Political and Security Implications
Sobyanin also noted that this attack was an attempt to disrupt the Russian parliamentary elections. The elections, which entered their third day on Sunday, are heavily controlled by the Kremlin, and many consider them to be neither free nor fair. Meanwhile, counterattacks between Russia and Ukraine are increasing, with energy facilities and key infrastructure in both countries being targeted.
Reports indicate that after a similar attack, a 44-year-old woman was killed in the Sofyino area, and five others, including two children, were injured. Additionally, an elderly man lost his life in the Orekhovo-Zuyevo area following another attack.
The extensive Ukrainian attacks on Moscow come as Timur Takachenko, head of the military administration of the Kyiv region, announced that a mother and two children were killed in a Russian attack on the city of Fastiv. In the meantime, Volodymyr Zelensky reported an attack on a monastery in the Kherson region, where a clergyman was killed and four others were injured.
Despite claims of an agreement between Russia and Ukraine not to target each other's energy infrastructure, both countries continue their attacks. This situation takes on new dimensions, especially in the lead-up to the Russian parliamentary elections and the escalation of tensions between the two countries.
