Ukrainian Drone Attacks Kill Four in Russia, Injure Dozen

At least four people were killed, and a dozen were injured, after a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia overnight, local officials said on Sunday.

Three people were killed in a strike on the Moscow region, and a fourth was killed in the Belgorod region bordering northeastern Ukraine, local authorities said.

Russia's defence ministry said by midday more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones had been downed over the country in the past 24 hours.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensk confirmed the attacks on social media site X, said, "Our ⁠responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities ​and communities ⁠are entirely justified," Zelenskiy said.

The drone attacks come after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky vowed a response to a Russian missile strike on a residential building in Kyiv on Friday that killed 24, including three children.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said over 120 drones had been shot down over Moscow in the last 24 hours, which left three houses ⁠damaged.

Overall, 556 drones had been ‌downed over the country overnight, the mayor said.

A woman died when a home was hit in the city of Khimki, north of Moscow, and two men ‌died in the ⁠village of Pogorelki in the ⁠Mytishchi district, according to Moscow governor Andrei Vorobyov.

This comes after Russia launched more than 1,500 drones and dozens of missiles in attacks across Ukraine this week, over two consecutive days, killing dozens of people, Ukrainian officials said.

Zelensky said on Friday that he had instructed Ukraine's military to prepare responses to the attack.