Ukrainian Drones Strike Moscow Refinery in One of The War's Biggest Attacks Ever
Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone offensives against Moscow, striking the capital's main oil refinery for the second time this week. The attack wounded 17 people, shut down all four airports, and drew sharp responses from both Kyiv and the Kremlin.
Ukraine carried out an extensive unmanned aerial offensive against Moscow early Thursday, marking one of the most significant strikes on the Russian seat of power since the conflict erupted over four years ago. Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, stated that air defenses intercepted close to 200 drones approaching the city, though he conceded that multiple projectiles successfully reached the capital's primary oil processing facility for the second occasion within a single week.
Clips circulating on social platforms captured unmanned craft repeatedly pounding the Gazprom Neft refinery on Moscow's periphery, unleashing towering fireballs and thick black smoke that lingered along the skyline for hours. One drone detonation propelled the circular lid of a petroleum storage tank rocketing into the air, a spectacle that evoked Hollywood special effects rather than actual combat. All four of the city's airports suspended flights for much of the day, and authorities tallied at least 17 individuals wounded.
The bombardment's collateral effects extended beyond the refinery itself. Russian interceptor missiles apparently contributed to some of the destruction, one downed drone veered into a large shopping center in southeastern Moscow, igniting the structure, while another slammed into a residential tower. It remained uncertain whether the apartment block was deliberately targeted or struck by falling debris from city defenses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the assault as "fully justified," pointing to relentless Russian bombardment of Ukrainian urban centers. He also signaled the strike carried a diplomatic subtext, "It is time the war ended and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy." Within hours, Russia's Defense Ministry announced it had executed its own "precision strikes" against Ukrainian defense and energy sites in retaliation.
The exchange unfolded as former President Trump has wavered on re-entering Ukraine diplomacy following the recent U.S.-Iran agreement. The Kremlin disclosed it anticipates White House envoys Steve Wikoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow soon, with aide Yuri Ushakov remarking that Trump had been exposed to "unhelpful if not harmful ideas" from European leaders at the G7 summit who insisted Kyiv now holds the advantage in its ongoing war.