NEWS
Ukraine Launches Largest-Ever Drone Assault on Moscow, Striking Oil Refinery as Russia Votes
Moscow came under an unprecedented wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on Sunday, with hundreds of drones reportedly targeting the Russian capital and surrounding region as Russia entered the final day of its parliamentary elections.
Russian authorities said more than 1,600 drones were intercepted across the country from Saturday into Sunday, including about 450 that were heading toward Moscow. The scale of the assault was described by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin as the largest drone attack on the capital since the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022.
The attack caused significant damage to the Moscow Oil Refinery, one of Russia’s major petroleum-processing facilities. Footage circulating online showed flames and thick smoke rising from the refinery after several drones struck the facility. Reuters later reported that crude-processing operations at the refinery had been suspended following damage to key processing units, with repairs expected to take several weeks.
The refinery, operated by Gazprom Neft, processed about 11.6 million tonnes of crude oil in 2024 and is an important supplier of fuel to the Moscow region. Damage to its major processing units could therefore add further pressure to Russia’s already strained fuel market.
The strikes extended beyond the refinery, with Russian authorities reporting damage to residential buildings, warehouses and other infrastructure in Moscow and surrounding areas. A drone-related fire at a residential building reportedly forced the evacuation of about 400 people.
Initial reports put the death toll at two, while dozens were injured. Later reporting from Russian authorities said a third person had died from injuries sustained during the attacks.
The timing of the assault added another layer of significance. The attacks occurred as Russians were casting ballots on the final day of a three-day parliamentary election, the first such election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sobyanin accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt the election, although Kyiv has not publicly accepted responsibility for the specific attacks. Russia’s election authorities continued the voting process despite the aerial assault.
Ukraine has increasingly focused its long-range attacks on Russian energy and logistics infrastructure, arguing that such facilities contribute directly to Moscow’s ability to sustain the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the latest operation involved domestically produced long-range drones and missiles targeting infrastructure connected to Russia’s war economy.
The Moscow assault also came amid continuing attacks on energy infrastructure by both sides, despite recent diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing strikes against energy facilities. The pattern of attacks has raised fresh concerns about further damage to fuel supplies and infrastructure as the war continues.
Meanwhile, Ukraine also came under another wave of Russian attacks. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia launched 138 drones overnight, with roughly half described as jet-powered models.
Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 101 of the drones, while some struck or damaged infrastructure in several regions.
The latest exchange underscores the widening reach of the aerial war, with both Moscow and Kyiv increasingly using long-range drones and missiles to target infrastructure far from the front lines.
As Russia concluded its parliamentary voting, the massive assault on Moscow left the election taking place against the backdrop of one of the most extensive Ukrainian attacks on Russian territ
ory since the war began.