Indian personnel killed, three others injured in drone attack in Moscow, says embassy in Russia

An Indian citizen working at the Indian embassy in Russia was killed and three others injured after a drone attack in Moscow on Sunday. According to the Indian Embassy in Russia, officials visited the site and met the injured workers at the hospital.

“The embassy condoles the loss of life and is working with the company management and local authorities to provide the necessary assistance to the workers,” the Indian diplomatic mission said in a post on X.

Ukraine launched a large-scale attack on Russia

While the Indian embassy did not provide further details on the drone attack, Reuters, citing Russian officials, said at least four people were killed, including three in the Moscow region, after Ukraine launched its biggest overnight drone attack on the Russian capital in more than a year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on Friday vowed retaliation after the heaviest Russian drone and missile attack on Kiev in two days since the war began more than four years ago.

Zelenskyy confirmed the attack and posted a video on X of a drone in flight, plumes of black smoke and fire crews trying to put out the flames.

“Our reaction to Russia’s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities and communities is completely justified,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that Ukraine was able to hit targets more than 500 km from the border despite dense Russian air defenses around Moscow.

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“We are saying clearly to the Russians: their country must end its war,” he said.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense also said that Moscow and the region “experienced the largest attack since the start of the full invasion” in February 2022.

Over 550 drones shot down

Russian authorities said their air defenses shot down 556 drones across the country overnight and intercepted another 30 drones after dawn.

The wiretapping took place in 14 Russian regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula annexed to Ukraine and the Black and Azov seas. In Moscow alone, authorities said air defense systems intercepted more than 80 drones overnight.

Ukraine attacked a Russian oil refinery

Ukrainian drones also damaged unspecified “infrastructure” and several high-rise buildings, Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyev said.

Ukraine’s SBU security service also claimed to have hit an oil refinery and two oil filling stations in the Moscow region.

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“Attacks on defense industry facilities, military infrastructure and oil logistics sites reduce the enemy’s ability to continue the war against Ukraine. These attacks show that even the heavily defended Moscow region is not safe,” the SBU said in Telegram.

Russia has not yet confirmed the strike.

Renewed attacks after the ceasefire after Victory Day

The Ukrainian strikes followed the end of a brief ceasefire that allowed Russia to hold its annual Victory Day parade on May 9. Zelenskyy even mocked the Victory Day parade by issuing a decree that “allowed” the annual event, which was significantly curtailed this year.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with 287 drones, 279 of which were shot down or jammed.