A major oil refinery on the outskirts of Moscow was struck by a drone on Tuesday, sparking a fire and causing damage to the facility, Russian authorities have confirmed, as Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident marks a fresh escalation in the conflict between the two countries and comes just a day after Ukraine accused Russia of launching more than 600 drones and 70 missiles in a large-scale assault that killed at least 11 people and damaged the grounds of a UNESCO-listed Orthodox monastery in Kyiv.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said the refinery, located in the southeastern Kapotnya district of the Russian capital, was hit during an overnight drone attack.
“Over the past 24 hours, enemy drone attacks on Moscow have continued. One of the drones damaged a Moscow oil refinery facility. There were no casualties,” Sobyanin said on Russia’s state-run Max platform.
Russian authorities reported that air defence systems intercepted around 60 drones targeting Moscow on Tuesday. State news agency TASS described the assault as one of the largest drone barrages against the capital this year.
Following the strike, traffic restrictions were imposed in the Kapotnya area, where the refinery owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom is located.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed that Kyiv was behind the operation, describing it as a response to Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian territory.
“This time, the Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities. An oil refinery was hit at a distance of 500 kilometres (310 miles),” Zelensky said in a social media post.
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The Ukrainian leader also shared footage purportedly showing a drone flying over residential buildings before striking an industrial facility. The video showed an explosion near a red-and-white chimney, sending thick smoke into the air.
“This is a just response to Russian strikes — and to the dragging out of a war that must be ended,” Zelensky added.
Since launching its military offensive against Ukraine in 2022, Russia has carried out near-daily missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
In response, Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian energy facilities, oil-processing plants and export terminals in recent months, seeking to disrupt a key source of revenue used to finance Moscow’s war effort.
The latest exchange of attacks underscores the continuing intensity of the conflict, with both sides expanding the reach and scale of their long-range strike capabilities.
