Ukrainian drone attacks across Russia plunged large parts of the Moscow region into darkness, with reports estimating that up to 600,000 residents were without power Wednesday.
Russian officials and media reports said hundreds of thousands of residents around Moscow lost power after drones targeted multiple regions on Tuesday. Estimates of those affected range widely.
Russian Telegram channels and Ukrainian-linked sources claimed as many as 600,000 people were left without electricity and mobile service for several hours, while Russian outlets put the number closer to 100,000.
Former Ukrainian presidential press secretary Iuliia Mendel said on social media that a "total blackout" hit areas southeast of the capital, leaving residents without electricity or communications for more than four hours.
Footage circulating online showed residential high-rise buildings, streets, and streetlights in darkness in cities including Zhukovsky, Lyubertsy, Lytkarino, and Ramenskoye. In some areas, the only visible light came from passing cars.
Moscow officials later shared images of crews installing mobile generators as emergency power was gradually restored. City authorities said 73 backup generators were deployed and warned of additional outages as systems were gradually reconnected to the main grid.
The Ramenskoye city administration said the outage was caused by a fire at an electrical substation. Russian officials, however, blamed the fire on an enemy drone strike, Russian outlet Channel 24 reported.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said at least 100 drones were intercepted between 5 p.m. and 7:48 p.m., most of them over Russia's Bryansk region near the Ukrainian border. Eight drones were shot down over the Moscow region itself.
The interceptions forced temporary suspensions at Moscow's airports, disrupting flights.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported that air defense units destroyed 27 Ukrainian drones over a three-hour period Tuesday night, including several near Moscow. Moscow region Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said 21 drones were downed during the day, with one civilian injured.
The Moscow blackout came amid a broader exchange of strikes.
Russian attacks on Ukraine's Odesa region reportedly left about 170,000 people without power, though it remains unclear whether that strike preceded or followed Ukraine's drone operations in Russia.
Beyond Moscow, Ukrainian drones reportedly struck key energy and logistics targets. Ukrainian security officials said long-range drones hit the Temp oil depot in Rybinsk, igniting a large fire.
Separate drone strikes damaged equipment at the Tuapse oil refinery on Russia's Black Sea coast, injuring two people and breaking windows in nearby apartment buildings and homes.
Tuapse is a critical export hub for Russian oil products and has been repeatedly targeted during the conflict. Russian authorities said fires were extinguished but did not disclose whether refinery operations were disrupted.
The attacks followed Russian accusations — dismissed by Kyiv — that Ukraine attempted to strike President Vladimir Putin's residence.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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