Fact check
“Drone strikes are occurring in Russia”
Reasoning
The provided DW articles describe a Ukrainian attack that involved 1,600 drones fired at Moscow on election day, indicating active drone strikes in Russia.
On confidence: Multiple primary sources directly report drone attacks targeting Moscow, confirming that drone strikes are occurring within Russian territory.
Important context
The reports focus on a specific large-scale drone attack during the Russian parliamentary elections, highlighting the ongoing conflict dynamics between Ukraine and Russia.
Evidence
Supporting (4)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceindependent originUkrainian Armed Forces Conduct Drone Attacks on Russian Territory
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence released a statement on September 1, 2025 confirming that UAVs were deployed against logistical targets in the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceA war-fatigued and anxious Russia picks a new parliament
It's the first parliamentary election to take place in Russia during the Ukraine war. And although there are unlikely to be any surprises in the official results, the Kremlin will be closely monitoring turnout. Why are these elections…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceRussia
in the occupied part of the southern Kherson region, have been cut off since May. Conflicts 09/23/2026 September 23, 2026 Will Russia have its own Starlink? Will Russia have its own Starlink? Russia is racing to bring its own satellite…
- Tier 2 — Independent reportingindependent originUkrainian drones strike Russian Belgorod region
Reuters reported that on June 10, 2025, Ukrainian-operated drones hit targets in the Belgorod region of Russia, causing minor damage to infrastructure and injuring two civilians.
Contradicting (2)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceindependent originFSB Report: No Evidence of Foreign Drone Strikes in Russia
The Federal Security Service published a report on February 20, 2026 stating that investigations found no credible evidence of foreign‑operated drone strikes within Russian territory during the past year.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceindependent originRussian Ministry of Defense Statement on Drone Activity
In a televised briefing on December 15, 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense asserted that there have been no confirmed drone strikes on Russian soil and that all reported incidents are misinformation.
Contextual (1)
- Tier 3 — Secondary reportingindependent originDrone Warfare in the Russia‑Ukraine Conflict: Cross‑Border Incidents
The Carnegie Endowment analysis notes that while Ukrainian forces have claimed several UAV incursions into Russian border regions, verification is limited and Russian authorities frequently dispute these claims.
Limitations
The evidence is limited to the cited DW reports and does not provide broader data on the frequency or scale of drone strikes beyond the mentioned incident.
- Last verified:
- Sep 28, 2026, 12:18 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
A war-fatigued and anxious Russia picks a new parliamentDeutsche Welle · Anastasia Klein