An Indian national was among four people killed after Ukraine carried out one of its largest drone attacks on Russian territory since the war began, Russian regional officials and the Indian Embassy confirmed on Sunday.
The overnight assault between May 16 and May 17 targeted several Russian regions, including Moscow, Belgorod, Kursk, Bryansk and Tula, with Russian air defence units intercepting hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles during the operation.
Three other Indian citizens were injured in the attack and admitted to a hospital in the Moscow region, according to the Indian Embassy in Moscow.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday, the embassy said, “The Embassy condoles the loss of life and is working with the company management and local authorities to provide necessary assistance.” Embassy officials also visited the injured workers at the hospital.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, more than 556 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across multiple regions in what officials described as one of the heaviest aerial assaults since the conflict started in February 2022.
Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that dozens of drones approaching Moscow had been shot down by air defence systems overnight. He added that emergency services were deployed to areas where debris had fallen.
Russian regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said casualties were reported in Khimki and the village of Pogorelki in the Moscow region. He stated that drone fragments damaged residential and industrial areas during the interceptions.
Russian media outlets reported that debris from intercepted drones fell near the Moscow Oil Refinery and close to infrastructure surrounding Sheremetyevo airport, prompting temporary flight restrictions overnight at Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports.
Videos shared on Russian Telegram channels showed emergency crews responding to fires and damaged structures in industrial zones outside Moscow through the early hours of Sunday morning.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the Indian citizen killed in the attack. Preliminary reports indicate the victims were employed in civilian industrial work in the Moscow region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended the strikes during his nightly address, calling them “”entirely justified.” following recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Over the past week, Russia has intensified strikes on Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa, according to Ukrainian officials. Residential buildings, energy facilities and public infrastructure were damaged in several attacks, with civilian casualties reported in multiple regions.
Ukraine has increasingly expanded its long-range drone operations inside Russian territory over the past year, targeting fuel depots, railway facilities, industrial infrastructure and logistics hubs linked to Moscow’s military operations.
Russian officials accused Kyiv of attempting to destabilise civilian life in major urban centres far from the frontline.
The latest incident has also renewed attention on the growing number of foreign workers employed in western Russian regions during the conflict.
Migration and labour estimates from Russian authorities indicate that thousands of workers from India and Central Asian countries are employed in Russia’s construction, warehouse and industrial sectors, particularly around Moscow and surrounding regions.
India has maintained diplomatic engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv since the war began while continuing to call for dialogue and a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
Last year, New Delhi raised concerns with Russian authorities after reports emerged that several Indian nationals had been recruited into support roles connected to the Russian military. Some citizens were later repatriated following diplomatic intervention.
According to available information, the Indian nationals injured in the latest strike were civilian workers and were not linked to military service.
The Indian Embassy said it remained in contact with local Russian authorities, hospital officials and the affected workers as investigations and damage assessments continued across the Moscow region on Sunday.
