Ukraine launches largest drone attack on Moscow of the war: Refinery hit, airports closed
A large-scale drone attack launched by Ukraine on the Moscow region has left 17 people injured; a fire broke out at a refinery and flights were disrupted.
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Ukraine has launched one of its largest drone attacks on Moscow since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. It was reported that approximately 200 unmanned aerial vehicles struck targets around the capital.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced that 17 people were injured in the attacks. The Russian Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, announced that nearly 1,000 drones and four Ukrainian cruise missiles had been intercepted and destroyed across the country over the past 24 hours.
The Kapotnya refinery in southeastern Moscow was also targeted in the attacks. It was reported that this was the third time the refinery has been hit in a month and the second time this week, with fires breaking out in the area. Footage shared on social media showed the lid of a large oil storage tank being blown off by the force of an explosion.
It was reported that a fire broke out in a building after drone debris fell onto a nearby shopping center, and some apartment buildings were evacuated. While four airports in Moscow were temporarily closed, more than 500 flights were canceled or delayed.
It was also announced that an oil depot was hit in the Rostov region in southern Russia, resulting in one death. The Kyiv administration described the attack as a response to Russia’s strike on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv last week, which caused a fire at a significant religious structure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Moscow region was once again struck by "long-range sanctions." Zelenskyy said, "It is time to end this war, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy."
Zelenskiy also added, "We do not want this war and we never wanted it. But if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn too." The Ukrainian administration views long-range strikes inside Russia as part of a strategy to make the Russian public feel the cost of the war.
Drone attacks on Moscow, located approximately 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, have become more frequent as Kyiv has increased its long-range capabilities. Ukraine’s first successful drone attacks on Moscow were carried out in the spring of 2023 with a limited number of vehicles; the significantly higher number of drones used in the latest attack was notable.
According to Kyiv, Russia also sent over 200 drones to Ukraine and launched numerous ballistic missiles on the same night. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was hosting a summit with Southeast Asian leaders in Kazan, did not make a public comment regarding the attack on Moscow.