Russia Claims to Repel "Massive" Ukrainian Drone Attack on Moscow and 14 Regions Amid Escalating Conflict

• Sep 01, 2024

Russia announced on Sunday that it had successfully repelled a "massive" Ukrainian drone attack targeting energy and fuel facilities across Moscow and 14 other regions, marking one of the largest such strikes since the conflict began over two and a half years ago.

Ukraine has increasingly used drones to strike Russian energy infrastructure in recent months, in retaliation for the missile assaults from Moscow that have devastated Ukraine’s energy network since Russian troops invaded in February 2022.

In a statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky defended his country’s actions, stating, "It is entirely justified for Ukrainians to respond to Russian terror by any means necessary to stop it."

The latest assault saw 158 drones launched, with the majority intercepted over the regions of Kursk, Bryansk, Voronezh, and Belgorod, all of which border Ukraine, according to Russia’s defense ministry. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that 10 drones targeted areas in and around the capital, with one igniting a fire at an oil refinery within the city limits. A coal-fired power plant near Moscow was also reportedly targeted.

This barrage follows just days after Russia unleashed over 200 drones and missiles on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, in one of the largest coordinated attacks to date. Additionally, the assault comes nearly a month after Ukraine launched an offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, capturing territory as Russian forces continue their slow advance in eastern Ukraine.

In Moscow, the fire at the oil refinery, owned by Gazprom, was quickly contained, and authorities assured that there was no threat to the public or the plant’s operations. Other regions, including Tver and Belgorod, also reported drone attacks, though with minimal damage.

The situation remains tense in the Donetsk region, where Russia is advancing toward Pokrovsk. Ukrainian officials have described the situation as "difficult" amid ongoing shelling and airstrikes, with reports of casualties and widespread destruction.

The conflict escalated further on Sunday afternoon when Russia launched missile strikes on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, injuring 47 people, including seven children. The attack caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, prompting President Zelensky to appeal for more international support and weapons to defend Ukraine against the ongoing assaults.