Moscow shot down dozens of drones in the early hours of Monday, just days after a repeated Ukrainian strike on the city’s oil refinery, authorities said.
It came as Russian attacks in Ukraine killed at least six people, including a boy and his father, authorities said.
The Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, said on Telegram that 84 drones targeting Moscow were intercepted within the past 24 hours and that emergency services had been dispatched to the areas where they were downed.
Separately, the aviation watchdog announced Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovskiy airports near the Russian capital had temporarily suspended flights.
Ukraine’s military said it struck the Dubna satellite communications centre in the surrounding region.
In Ukraine, a drone attack early on Monday in the Sumy region tragically killed a 13-year-old boy, his 36-year-old father, and his 73-year-old grandmother, according to regional prosecutors.
Russian drone attacks in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia overnight and into Monday also resulted in two fatalities and seven injuries, Ukraine’s emergency services confirmed. They released footage showing firefighters battling a building engulfed in flames and a blurred image of personnel recovering a body in a black bag.
Further south, Russia struck the Odesa region with an Iskander ballistic missile on Sunday evening, killing one person and injuring three, regional governor Oleh Kiper announced on Telegram. The strike hit an agricultural facility, causing vehicles and fuel storage tanks to ignite.
Meanwhile, in Russian-annexed Crimea, the city of Sevastopol cancelled all open-air public events on Monday and will keep street lights switched off, with governor Mikhail Razvozhayev urging residents to curb electricity usage.
Crimea, a popular tourist destination for Russians, has also suspended fuel sales to the public and businesses, restricting supplies to government agencies responsible for essential services and security. This measure comes as Ukrainian drone attacks on its supply routes and energy facilities have led to a fuel crisis.
In the Black Sea, Russian drones struck the Turkish dry cargo vessel, the Victress, sailing under a Panamanian flag, Ukraine’s navy reported. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba confirmed that a 58-year-old Egyptian cook was killed, and eight other crew members, including Turkish and Indian nationals, were forced to evacuate via a lifeboat.
The vessel sustained significant damage, Kuleba added on Telegram. “Russia remains the main threat to the Black Sea security and prosperity,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on X.
