Ukraine Launches Massive Drone Attack on Moscow

Ukraine launched a massive drone attack against Russia on Sunday, including the capital Moscow, killing at least four people.

Six hundred drones attacked all 14 Russian regions, as well as areas of Ukraine annexed by Russia.

The area around Moscow was the worst affected. Three people were killed there, and one was killed in Belgorod.

In Moscow, air defenses intercepted more than 80 drones.

An oil and gas refinery near Moscow appears to have been targeted.

Drone debris also landed within the perimeter of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

BREAKING: A massive Ukrainian drone attack reportedly targeted Moscow pic.twitter.com/9oixqkD7YX

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 17, 2026

The attacks were confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said they had flown more than 300 miles from Ukrainian territory.

“Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified,” he said.

He added the strikes on Moscow showed Kyiv was “clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war.”

Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified. This time, Ukrainian long-range sanctions reached the Moscow region, and we are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war. Ukrainian drone and… pic.twitter.com/BVFJ1BJQ1i

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 17, 2026

Last week, Zelensky promised more drone attacks would target Russia after a three-day attack across Ukraine killed more than 20 people and injured 50. Around 1,500 drones and dozens of missiles were fired in that attack.

Russia and Ukraine have returned to open hostilities after a three-day ceasefire around Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, which ended last Monday.

As his military forces prepared for the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow to commemorate the end of World War II, Putin told reporters, “I think it’s coming to an end, but it’s still a serious matter.”

Russia still controls about 20% of Ukraine’s pre-2014 territory, including the Crimea and parts of the Donbas region.

In recent weeks, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure.

Ukrainian officials say Moscow’s oil revenue is directly financing the war, making it a fair target.

Russia’s oil-refining is now at a 17-year-low of about 4.7 million barrels a day.

Moscow has lost about $7 billion in oil revenue since the start of the year.

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