Ukraine drone barrage hits Moscow oil refinery, flights halted across capital

Ukraine drone barrage hits Moscow oil refinery, flights halted across capital

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Ukraine launched what Russian officials described as the largest drone offensive targeting Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion began more than four years ago, with the strikes damaging a key oil refinery, sparking fires and sending debris across parts of the region.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defences shot down at least 194 drones bound for the capital overnight into Thursday. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said air defences intercepted almost 1,000 drones across a wider area, including over the Sea of Azov.

Reuters reported that flights at all major Moscow airports were temporarily suspended on Thursday, citing Russia’s aviation agency.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attacks as a “justified” response after Russia targeted and damaged a historic, UNESCO-listed monastery complex in central Kyiv earlier this week. “We do not want this war and never have – everyone knows this, and our partners know this,” Zelensky told reporters. “But if Ukraine is engulfed in flames, so will your Moscow be. That is why we emphasize once again that it is time to end the aggression; it is time to end this war.”

Among the reported targets was the Moscow Oil Refinery in the southeastern district of Kapotnya, about 15 kilometres from the Kremlin. The facility was also struck and damaged earlier in the week, according to the report.

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CNN said video it geolocated showed a ground-launched projectile being fired from a road as drones approached the refinery, while other footage appeared to show a large explosion at the complex that blew part of a fuel tank roof into the air.

Residents in districts near Kapotnya told CNN they woke to explosions, heavy smoke and a strong smell of burning. “The smell is terrible. We closed the windows, but it’s still hard to breathe inside the apartment,” 25-year-old Natalya Klimova said, describing the scene as “very frightening”. Another resident, identified only as Maria, said she left the area for her mother’s dacha in the suburbs and described feeling emotionally numb after years of seeing images from Ukraine.

Photos shared on social media showed black, sooty droplets on cars and windowsills, though Russian authorities denied claims of “oil rain”. Officials nevertheless advised residents to minimise their time outdoors to avoid inhaling soot, according to the report.

Ukraine has stepped up long-range attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in recent weeks, a strategy Zelensky has presented as part of efforts to pressure Moscow to end the war. Analysts have noted that Russia’s state budget relies on oil earnings for at least one-third of its revenue.

Russia also carried out strikes against Ukraine, with the Ukrainian Air Force reporting seven missiles and 239 drones. The report said the attack hit a private home, an energy infrastructure facility, a hangar and oil facilities in the Kyiv and Poltava regions, citing Ukrainian and Russian authorities.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would launch regular strikes against targets in Ukraine that affect the combat readiness of its armed forces, the report added.

The drone attacks came as international discussions continued around military support for Ukraine. At a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said talks were ongoing “with all allies to make sure Ukraine has what it needs,” including missile interceptors and weapons systems, according to the report.

In Brussels, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month review of the US “force posture in Europe”, saying Washington’s contribution to the alliance would be linked to whether other countries meet defence spending targets, according to the report.

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