At least three people were killed and several injured overnight in a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region, Russian officials have said.
A woman died in Khimki, north of Moscow, and a person was trapped under rubble, regional governor Andrei Vorobiev reported. Another fatality has been confirmed in Pogorelki, where a man and woman were also killed.
An Indian citizen lost his life, along with three others who were injured, as stated by India's embassy in Moscow. It is unclear if these casualties are included in the regional death toll. Additionally, a fatality was reported in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that the strikes were an entirely justified response to deadly Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Russia's state news agency Tass characterized the drone strikes as the most substantial assault on Moscow in over a year, marking a significant escalation in hostilities.
In retaliation, Ukraine has ramped up its attacks on key Russian military and energy infrastructure, with Zelensky asserting that their continuation was a legitimate target supporting Russia's war efforts.
Russian military reports indicated that 556 drones were intercepted nationwide, including around 130 in the Moscow region, as authorities monitored the escalating situation.
This attack follows a series of drone assaults and retaliatory measures from both sides, heightening the ongoing conflict that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
