Ukraine launched a massive barrage of nearly 600 drones against Russia overnight, killing four people and causing significant damage, authorities reported on Sunday. The attack, one of the largest since the conflict began, targeted the Moscow region and other areas, with air defenses intercepting the majority of the unmanned aerial vehicles.
Drone Barrage Details
Russia's defense ministry stated that 556 drones were shot down overnight across the country, with an additional 30 neutralized after dawn. The interceptions occurred across 14 Russian regions, including the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Black and Azov Seas. The Moscow region was among the hardest hit, with Governor Andrey Vorobyov confirming three deaths: a woman killed when a drone struck a private house, and two men. Four people were wounded, and infrastructure facilities were targeted.
In Moscow city, local authorities reported that air defense systems intercepted more than 80 drones, wounding 12 people. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin noted minor damage from debris falls, including at a construction site near an oil and gas refinery, though production was not disrupted. Three residential buildings were damaged.
Belgorod Region Casualty
In the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, one man was killed in the Shebekino district when a drone struck a lorry, regional authorities said.
Zelensky Defends Retaliatory Strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the targeting of military and energy sites within Russia as "entirely justified," vowing more retaliatory strikes after a Russian attack on Kyiv killed 24 people and wounded 50 others. The Ukrainian air force reported intercepting 279 of 287 Russian drones launched.
Diplomatic Stalemate
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain at a standstill, with Kyiv rejecting Moscow's territorial demands in the Donbas region. Peace talks have stalled since Washington shifted focus to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in late February. A three-day truce marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany expired on Tuesday, with both sides accusing each other of violations, leading to a resumption of attacks.
