It was a heavy night for the region. The embassy has been in touch with the injured at a hospital and is now making sure they get the help they need, a case in point for the perils facing foreign nationals here.
Indian casualties confirmed
One life has been lost and three others are in the hospital after what was described as a major overnight barrage. We have our condolences out and are in talks with the company and local officials to see to the workers’ needs.
We don’t have the names of those involved or a full picture of the condition of the wounded just yet.
A night of drones and debris
On the other side of the line, Russian authorities say they had to deal with a deluge of some 600 Ukrainian drones. Their numbers put it at 556 taken out before daybreak and 30 more after.
But if you ask the defence ministry, they’ll tell you over 1,000 were put down in 24 hours. In the capital, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin says air defences made short work of at least 81 heading their way.
Here is what officials on both sides stated:
– Zelenskyy said the responses were entirely justified
– Sobyanin said at least 81 drones toward Moscow were downed
– Russia’s defence ministry cited more than 1,000 drones intercepted in 24 hours
Damage reported in multiple districts
You could hear the sirens and see the debris in parts of the city and beyond. All told, four people have been confirmed dead – one in the Belgorod region near the border and three in the Moscow area.
Andrei Vorobyov, the regional governor, said a home in Khimki was hit by debris, killing a woman. Two men in the village of Pogorelki also didn’t make it.
There’s been damage to some homes and infrastructure. A few of the wounded were in the vicinity of an oil refinery, but for the most part, the plant is still up and running.
Competing narratives from Kyiv and Moscow
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has no apologies. He called the drone wave a fair response to the way Russia has been coming after their cities and people, even putting out some video of the aftermath. He also said they’ve been able to reach targets well over 500km into Russia.
Naturally, Russia is having none of it. Foreign ministry’s Maria Zakharova has branded it a terrorist act.
What it means for India and next steps
For us, this is a stark reminder of how the conflict is spilling over. The embassy is on it, we’ve met the workers and are providing support.
As for the specifics of the incident that cost the Indian worker his life, there’s not much more to add for now. We’re waiting on the details from the authorities.
The numbers don’t quite add up between the two sides, so for the families and the companies involved, what matters is what’s happening on the ground. We will be there to back them up. More on the identities and medical status will come once we’ve done our due diligence and let the relatives know.
