Nearly half a million Moscow residents are understood to be without power after Ukrainian drones attacked the city.

Residential buildings, including tower blocks, in the capital have been captured in complete darkness.

Street lamps also appear to be in blackout in some areas, with the only source of light coming from the cars on the roads.

Footage shared on social media has shown Moscow authorities installing mobile generators.

The blackout was caused by a fire at a substation, according to the Ramenskoye city administration.

But Moscow is claiming it was caused by an enemy drone attack, Russian outlet Channel 24 reported.

Communication lines were also down in the southeast Moscow neighbourhoods of Zhukovsky, Litkarino, and Ramenskoye for several hours.

Volodymyr Zelensky’s former press secretary, Iuliia Mendel, said: ‘Total blackout hits Moscow region is reported on social media: over 600,000 people plunged into darkness for more than four hours — no electricity, no mobile signal, total isolation.’

She added: ‘Drone threat declared across the oblast right now.’

Moscow Mayor Sobyanin claimed that at least 100 drones were shot down between and 5pm and 7.48pm.

Most were downed above the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, while eight drones were shot down in the Moscow region.

The interceptions forced Moscow’s airports to suspend travel.

City officials said on the Russian social media platform VK that engineers are restoring power and 73 back-up generators have been installed.

Further outages are expected today, officials added, as residents are moved back to the main power grid.

The reported attacks came a day after Russia accused Ukraine, without providing evidence, of trying to attack President Vladimir Putin’s residence.

Kyiv dismissed the allegations as baseless and aimed at derailing peace talks in the war that Russia launched against Ukraine nearly four years ago.

Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Kyiv and Washington were in discussions about the possibility of US boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of security guarantees.

He also said he was willing to meet with Putin despite the deep lack of mutual trust between them.

‘I told President Trump, European leaders I am ready for any format of meeting with Putin,’ the Ukrainian president said.

‘I am not afraid of any format. The main thing is for Russians not to be afraid.’

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