Russian authorities skipped air raid sirens during Ukraine's record Moscow attack, ISW says

Russian authorities did not activate air raid sirens during a record Ukrainian attack on the Moscow region on the night of September 20, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Residents complained about the lack of warnings, especially after mobile communications were restricted. The attack involved over 1,600 aerial assets, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, and caused fires at an oil refinery in Kapotnya and a logistics facilityin Sofyino. ISW analysts linked the absence of alerts to the fact that the attack preceded the final day of voting in Russia's so-called "Duma elections," suggesting authorities prioritized high voter turnout over public safety. Z-bloggers also criticized official responses, saying restrictions on mobile communications during attacks "do not actually help." Ukrainian drones and "Flamingo" systems targeted the Moscow refinery, reportedly destroying its oil processing capability, and a logistics complex was completely destroyed by fire.