Ukraine Launches Massive Drone Strike on Moscow, Targeting Strategic Oil Infrastructure

Ukraine launched one of its most significant drone assaults on Moscow in years this Thursday, triggering fires across the capital and forcing emergency evacuations at Russia’s largest airport.

Social media footage, though unverified, showed dense columns of black smoke rising over the city skyline and drones operating overhead.

President Volodymyr Zelensky described the strike on the Moscow oil refinery as a “fully justified response” to ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and communities. He further noted that Kyiv targeted locations in Russia’s Rostov region and within occupied Ukrainian territories in a post on X.

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The wide-scale operation occurred shortly before President Vladimir Putin was scheduled to meet with Southeast Asian leaders for a summit in Kazan, located approximately 700 kilometers east of the capital.

In recent months, Kyiv has intensified its drone campaign against Russian oil refineries to deplete the funds fueling Moscow’s military efforts, as diplomatic efforts to end the four-year conflict remain deadlocked.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported on Telegram that air defense forces were working to repel the attack, confirming that several drones reached the Moscow Oil Refinery (MNPZ). Local authorities subsequently closed roads surrounding the facility. While the Mayor did not specify the extent of the damage, various Russian media reports indicated the plant was on fire.

Sheremetyevo, Russia’s busiest airport, announced the evacuation of passengers to secure areas and implemented flight restrictions during the barrage.

Moscow region governor Andrey Vorobyov stated that one drone struck an apartment building in the Zhukovsky district, while other debris ignited a fire at a suburban shopping center. Sobyanin claimed that 180 drones were intercepted near Moscow, while the Russian defense ministry reported more than 500 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight.

The state-run TASS news agency characterized the event as the largest attack on Moscow in at least two years.

Since the 2022 invasion, Russia has maintained a near-daily campaign of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine. This week, Kyiv suffered its second major air attack as Russia deployed ballistic missiles against the capital.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, warned residents via Telegram on Thursday to remain in shelters during the air raid. Witnesses reported explosions in the capital, and authorities in Sumy confirmed one fatality following a drone strike. Air raid alerts were activated across most of Ukraine.

Putin in Kazan

The strikes coincided with Putin’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kazan. Prime ministers from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Singapore attended, alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Putin has attempted to project an image of internal stability. However, the Russian economy—now operating on a war footing—faces significant challenges, including soaring inflation, labor shortages, and high borrowing costs.

While Russian advances on the battlefield have slowed this year, Kyiv has significantly increased its capabilities for strikes within Russian territory.

During a G7 summit in France earlier this week, US President Donald Trump suggested that Moscow should “make a deal” to bring the war to a close. Putin, however, has consistently rejected direct negotiations with President Zelensky, maintaining Moscow’s goal of capturing the eastern Donbas region by force.

The conflict remains Europe’s deadliest since World War II, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties and the widespread devastation of eastern and southern Ukraine.

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