International
oi-Prakash KL
Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks on the Moscow region since the full-scale war began in 20221, Russian officials said, forcing airport restrictions, damaging civilian and industrial sites, and again striking a major oil refinery in the capital’s southeast.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences intercepted 194 drones heading towards the capital over an eight-hour period, with the attack still continuing on Thursday morning. Russia’s defence ministry said 555 Ukrainian drones were shot down across a wider area overnight, including over the Sea of Azov, according to a report in RNZ.
Ukraine launched one of its heaviest drone attacks on Thursday targeting the Moscow region, with Russia reporting 194 drones intercepted over the capital and 555 shot down overall, causing airport disruptions and hitting the Moscow Oil Refinery. This expansive drone campaign underscores Kyiv’s strategy of damaging Russia’s vital oil infrastructure.
The scale of the attack was far above the usual drone barrages reported around Moscow in recent months, when Russian officials typically cited interceptions in the double digits. The latest strike underlined Kyiv’s growing focus on long-range drone warfare, particularly against Russia’s oil and logistics network.
Moscow Drone Attack Disrupts Airports and Hits Refinery
Flights at Moscow’s main airports were temporarily suspended, according to reports citing Russia’s aviation agency. Such restrictions are increasingly common during major drone alerts, but the disruption across the capital’s airport network showed the operational pressure created by sustained attacks near one of Russia’s most heavily defended cities.
Sobyanin said several drones hit the Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya, a southeastern district of the capital. He said air defence units were continuing to repel what he described as a massive attack. The refinery had already been struck earlier in the week, making Thursday’s reported hit the second attack on the same site in days.
Footage of a Ukrainian FP-1 drone being intercepted while flying towards Moscow Refinery. Despite the hit, it still left a considerable explosion when it went down. pic.twitter.com/VNjOaN8FQE
— Benjamin Strick (@BenDoBrown) June 18, 2026
Video verified by CNN showed an explosion at the refinery, with thick black smoke rising from part of the facility before a larger blast shook another section of the complex. The footage showed the roof of a large fuel tank container being blown into the air.
The Moscow Oil Refinery is one of the most prominent energy facilities within the capital’s metropolitan area. While the full extent of the damage was not immediately clear, repeated strikes on such sites add to pressure on Russia’s domestic fuel supply chain and emergency response systems.
In a post on X, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “Last night, our long-range sanctions once again reached the Moscow region – for the second time this week, the Moscow oil refinery was hit. Targets were also struck in the Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors’ work against facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine. I thank our Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine for their coordinated efforts – the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, Defense Intelligence, and our missile brigade for their precision.
In recent days, all of our partners have noted the precision and effectiveness of our mid-range strikes and long-range sanctions. It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy.”
Last night, our long-range sanctions once again reached the Moscow region – for the second time this week, the Moscow oil refinery was hit. Targets were also struck in the Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a fully justified response to… pic.twitter.com/NhFl4FlT9L
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 18, 2026
Damage reported across Moscow region
Russian state media, citing Moscow regional governor Andrey Vorobyov, reported that a drone hit an apartment building in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow. The strike damaged the building and some balconies, but no casualties were reported there.
Drone debris also fell in several other areas outside the capital, according to regional officials. A fitness centre, an industrial facility, a shopping centre and a private home were among the sites reported damaged. A fire broke out at the shopping centre after debris fell, officials said.
Further south, in Russia’s Rostov region, regional governor Yury Slyusar said a separate drone attack killed one civilian and injured two others. He said the strike also damaged a locomotive and caused fires at two commercial facilities.
Russia has not publicly provided independent evidence for all interception and damage claims. Both Moscow and Kyiv regularly report large numbers of drones shot down during overnight attacks, and battlefield claims from either side are often difficult to verify immediately.
Why Ukraine is targeting Russian oil infrastructure
The overnight barrage came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Brussels for meetings with NATO’s leader and defence ministers from Britain and Germany. Kyiv has increasingly framed deep strikes inside Russia as a way to weaken Moscow’s war capacity and push it towards ending the conflict.
After an earlier strike on the Moscow refinery, Zelensky said Ukraine had used long-range weapons to hit facilities “500 kilometres away”. He presented such attacks as part of a broader strategy to bring the cost of war closer to Russia’s military and economic centres.
Ukraine has used drones to target Russian refineries, oil depots, naval facilities and terminals in recent months. Some attacks have reached the Leningrad region, where St Petersburg recently hosted a major economic forum often described as President Vladimir Putin’s version of Davos.
Oil revenues remain central to Russia’s state finances. Analysts estimate that energy earnings account for at least one-third of budget revenue. Western sanctions have narrowed Russia’s pool of buyers since the invasion of Ukraine, although Moscow has continued to sell large volumes of crude and refined products through alternative routes.
Repeated strikes on refineries can affect more than export income. They can disrupt domestic fuel production, force repairs, complicate transport planning and raise costs for regional supply chains. Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, faced oil shortages and petrol rationing earlier this month after Ukrainian attacks restricted road supplies across the region, according to reports.
Russia continues large-scale attacks on Ukraine
Russia also struck Ukraine overnight into Thursday, firing seven missiles and 239 drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukrainian authorities said several locations were hit, including a private home, an energy infrastructure facility and a hangar.
Russia’s defence ministry said its strikes hit oil facilities in the Kyiv and Poltava regions. Moscow has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid, fuel infrastructure and industrial sites, while Kyiv has expanded attacks on facilities it says support Russia’s military campaign.
The latest exchanges show how drone warfare has become a central feature of the conflict. Both sides are using large, relatively low-cost drone salvos to stretch air defences, damage infrastructure and create uncertainty far from the front line.
For Moscow, Thursday’s attack was a reminder that distance from Ukraine no longer guarantees security for strategic sites. For Kyiv, the campaign carries military value and political messaging, but also the risk of further escalation as both countries intensify strikes beyond the battlefield.
