Archive · 20 Sep 2026
Russia Election Ends After Massive Drone Attack On Moscow
Russia was holding the last day of an election for its lower house of parliament.
Russian officials said Ukraine sent hundreds of drones toward Moscow and nearby areas.
They said more than 1,600 drones were destroyed across different areas, including 450 near Moscow.
Two people were killed in the surrounding region.
A drone-related fire also caused about 400 people to leave a residential building.
A facility at Moscow’s oil refinery was damaged, although reports differed about how serious the damage was.
Russia’s mayor said the attack was meant to interrupt the election, but Ukraine did not immediately respond.
Russia’s ruling United Russia party was expected to win.
Some permitted opposition parties might receive protest votes from people worried about the war and the economy.
Russian officials said more than 1,600 drones were shot down, including 450 approaching Moscow, during the election’s final day.
Two people were killed in the surrounding Moscow region, while a drone-related fire led to the evacuation of about 400 people from a residential building.
A facility at Moscow’s oil refinery was damaged, though the extent of the damage differed between reports and was not independently verified.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack was intended to disrupt voting; Ukraine did not immediately comment.
United Russia was expected to retain power, while permitted opposition parties could benefit from war-related anxiety and economic strain.
- Who
- Russian officials, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, and Russia’s registered political parties were involved.
- What
- A reported large-scale drone attack targeted Moscow and nearby regions on the final day of Russia’s parliamentary election.
- When
- The attack occurred on Sunday, the final day of a three-day election held in September; initial results were expected around 1800 GMT.
- Where
- The reported attacks affected Moscow, the surrounding Moscow region, and a facility at Moscow’s oil refinery.
- Why
- Russian officials said the attack was intended to disrupt the election; Ukraine did not immediately comment, while Kyiv called the vote a “pseudo election.”
Russian Government Position
Ukrainian and Critical Views
Purpose of the drone attack
Russian Government Position
Sergei Sobyanin and Vladimir Putin said Ukraine’s actions were intended to disrupt or interfere with the election, but the attack failed to achieve that goal.
Ukrainian and Critical Views
Ukraine did not immediately comment on the reported strikes, and Kyiv dismissed Russia’s election as a “pseudo election.”
Meaning of the election
Russian Government Position
Putin said the vote would demonstrate unity and public support for Russian troops, government policies, and the war effort.
Ukrainian and Critical Views
Critics said the political system does not tolerate dissent, while most anti-war candidates were barred from standing and only parties supporting Putin and the Kremlin’s military campaign were registered.
Potential opposition gains
Russian Government Position
The Kremlin said national unity and censorship were necessary during its military operation in Ukraine and portrayed the election as a test of support.
Ukrainian and Critical Views
The NEST think-tank said war-related anxiety and economic strain could lead voters to support permitted opposition parties such as the Communist Party and New People.
- Drones reported destroyed
- Sergei Sobyanin said more than 1,600 drones had been shot down across all fronts since the previous day.
- Drones approaching Moscow
- Sobyanin said 450 of the reported drones were approaching Moscow.
- Reported deaths
- Moscow regional authorities said two people were killed in separate locations.
- Residential evacuation
- A fire linked to a drone striking a 21-storey building led to about 400 evacuations, according to Andrey Vorobyov.
- Refinery damage
- A facility at the Moscow oil refinery was struck or damaged; the extent of the damage was unclear in one report.
- Election significance
- The State Duma election was Russia’s first parliamentary vote since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- Expected political result
- United Russia was expected to retain its dominance, though permitted opposition parties could gain protest votes.
