Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on Moscow and other Russian regions on Friday, September 18, as Russia began its first parliamentary elections since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 350 Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian capital overnight, with Russian air defences claiming to have intercepted most of them before they reached the city. Ukraine also reported strikes against an oil refinery in Yaroslavl and a military airfield in the Rostov region.
The drone barrage coincided with the opening of Russia's three-day parliamentary election, in which voters are choosing members of the 450-seat State Duma. The election is being held against the backdrop of the ongoing war, with no major anti-war party competing on the national ballot.
The timing is significant because the Kremlin is presenting the election as a measure of public support for its policies and the war in Ukraine. At the same time, Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia have increasingly brought the consequences of the war closer to Russian communities and infrastructure.
Russia has continued launching missile and drone attacks against Ukraine, while Ukraine has increasingly used long-range drones to strike Russian military and energy targets. Both sides say their attacks are directed at military or strategic infrastructure, although civilian casualties have also been reported.