Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia overnight. This massive strike happened on the final day of Russia's parliamentary elections. Hundreds of these machines flew straight toward the capital city. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called it the "largest ever" assault on his city. He said air defenses knocked down 450 drones before they even reached Moscow. The attack caused damage to a major oil refinery and a residential building.
Two people lost their lives in the wider Moscow region. Local Gov. Andrei Vorobyov confirmed the deaths and noted 20 others were injured. One victim was a 74-year-old man. The other was a 44-year-old woman. In the Ramenskoye district, crews had to clear 400 residents from a tall tower. That group included 70 children who were pulled to safety.
One resident described the chaos inside a damaged building. Vitaliy, a man from Sofyino, told reporters, according to the Daily Caller, "Glass went flying; people started screaming and shouting." Debris lay scattered after the entrance doors were already blown out when I turned around. The scene was terrifying for everyone inside.
There is a big disagreement on exactly how many drones were involved. Russia's Defense Ministry said they destroyed 1,110 drones nationwide. This count included areas in Crimea and the Black Sea. However, Mayor Sobyanin claimed Russian defenses shot down over 1,600 drones. He said 450 of those were stopped on their long approach to the capital.
Another source offers a different view entirely. The Russian open-source intelligence channel Rybar reported at least 1,300 drones were launched. They stated that only 11 managed to breach Moscow's air defenses. Rybar also said the attack was planned for over a month. They claimed attackers probed Russian defenses to find weak spots. Rybar noted the enemy failed to disrupt the elections.
Ukraine launches 1,000 drones at Russia, including hundreds fired at Moscow in what mayor describes as "largest ever" attack https://t.co/p1Nu7vCeVP
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 20, 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy celebrated the operation on social media. He said his forces used a mix of drones and missiles. These included homegrown Flamingo and Pelican weapons. He targeted fuel and supply lines to hurt the enemy's war effort. Zelenskyy wrote that billions of dollars sustain the war machine.
The strike hit a key facility at the Moscow Oil Refinery. This plant processed 11.6 million metric tons of oil in 2024. It is a major part of Russia's energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said his long-range responses had a "very significant impact" in the Moscow region. He noted that one of Russia's key oil facilities was hit. He also said an aggressor logistics facility took damage.
Mayor Sobyanin wrote on Telegram that the enemy did not succeed. He stated that this unprecedented attack was clearly planned with the aim of disrupting the elections. The enemy did not succeed.He added that the biggest attack by enemy drones has been repelled. Despite his claims, the damage to the city was real and deadly.
The attack coincided with Russia's first wartime parliamentary election. Balloting in the vote was devoid of opposition to President Vladimir Putin. Moscow also held the vote in four Ukrainian regions it illegally annexed. Kyiv has denounced this action as illegal. The voting also took place in Crimea, which Russia took in 2014.
While Ukraine struck Moscow, Russia struck back elsewhere. A monastery in Ukraine's Kherson region was struck by a Russian drone. That attack killed a member of the clergy and wounded four people. In the Ukrainian capital, a separate attack killed two children and their mother.
