Ukraine launches drone strikes near Moscow on last day of Russia’s presidential elections

35 Ukrainian drones were shot down over night, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, four of which were downed near Moscow.

According to Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, there were no injuries or damages.

Two more drones were shot over the Yaroslavl region northeast of Moscow and the Kaluga region just south of the Russian capital, according to the Defense Ministry.

Situated roughly 500 miles (800 kilometers) from the Ukrainian border, the Yaroslavl region was the target of some of Ukraine’s most ambitious attacks to date.

More Ukrainian drones were downed over the Belgorod, Kursk and Rostov regions that border Ukraine and the southern Krasnodar region, the Defence Ministry said.

Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said the Ukrainian shelling killed a 16-year-old girl Sunday and injured her father.

A drone fell on a refinery in the Krasnodar region, sparking a blaze that was extinguished a few hours later, according to regional authorities. A worker at the refinery died of a heart attack, officials said.

Refineries and oil terminals have been key targets of Ukrainian drone attacks.

The attacks followed a series of other Ukrainian drone raids and other attacks over the past few days that Putin described as an attempt by Ukraine to frighten residents and derail Russia’s presidential election.

Those enemy strikes haven’t been and won’t be left unpunished, he vowed during Friday’s meeting of his Security Council. I’m sure that our people, the people of Russia, will respond to that with even greater cohesion.”

As the war dragged into a third year, Russian forces have made some slow and incremental gains along the front line, relying on their edge in firepower, while Ukraine has fought back with more drone attacks deep inside Russia and cross-border raids.

On Saturday, two people were killed and three others were wounded in the Ukrainian shelling of the Russian border city of Belgorod which has faced regular attacks.

The Russian military also claimed it thwarted another attempted cross-border incursion by Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups on Saturday.

The Russian Volunteer Corps which includes Russians fighting alongside Ukrainian forces released a video on social media Saturday alleging to have captured 25 Russian soldiers. The claim couldn’t be independently verified.

Cross-border attacks in the area have taken place sporadically since the war began and have been the subject of claims and counterclaims, as well as disinformation and propaganda.

With inputs from The Associated Press