The ministry said units operating under the "North” group advanced into the settlement of Miropolye in Sumy region, adding to a series of territorial gains recorded between April 27 and May 3. According to official data cited by Russian state agencies, four settlements were taken in Sumy, four in Donetsk, and two in Kharkiv during that period.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle struck a residential tower in a western district of the capital early Monday. "Air defense systems intercepted two additional drones approaching the city. No casualties have been reported,” Sobyanin said in a statement published on Telegram. The affected building is located in an area that hosts several diplomatic missions.

Residents in the neighborhood described a brief but intense disruption. "We heard a loud explosion just before dawn, and emergency crews arrived within minutes,” said Elena Morozova, a local resident, speaking to Diplomat News Network. "There was visible damage to the upper floors, but people were evacuated calmly.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry has not publicly attributed the drone strike to specific Ukrainian units, though officials have repeatedly accused Kyiv of targeting infrastructure in and around Moscow. Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the incident.

Separately, Russian officials confirmed earlier territorial advances between April 20 and April 26, during which three settlements—two in Kharkiv and one in Donetsk—were brought under Russian control. The ministry stated that "active operations” have continued across multiple frontlines, with what it described as "notable progress.”

The developments come days before Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The Defense Ministry has already indicated that this year’s military parade will exclude heavy equipment such as tanks and missile systems, citing security concerns linked to drone threats.

Military analyst Viktor Sokolov said the combination of territorial advances and drone incidents reflects a shifting operational dynamic. "The frontlines remain fluid, and the use of drones—both offensively and defensively—has become central to the conflict’s current phase,” he said.

Drone activity targeting Moscow has increased over recent months, although most reported incidents have involved interception by air defenses and have rarely caused damage to civilian structures. The latest strike underscores growing security concerns in the capital as symbolic national events approach.