Ukraine Launches Major Drone Attack on Moscow Oil Refinery

Moscow was the target of one of Ukraine’s largest drone attacks since the war began, with an oil refinery facility hit and around 200 drones heading towards the Russian capital intercepted. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Telegram on Thursday that Russian air defence forces were working to repel the large-scale attack. “Air defence forces continue to repel a massive attack, but some drones managed to reach the MNPZ (a major oil refinery in Moscow),” Sobyanin said. The largest previously reported attack occurred on 17 May, when Russian authorities said their air defence systems intercepted 81 drones approaching Moscow. Local authorities also reported shooting down 61 drones on 7 May and 38 drones on 16 May. As a result of the attack, the management of Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow evacuated passengers to safe locations, marking the first time such a safety measure has been taken since the war against Ukraine erupted. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attack on the Moscow oil refinery. “Last night, our long-range strikes reached the Moscow region again. For the second time in a week, the Moscow oil refinery was hit,” Zelenskyy said via Telegram. Ukraine’s general military staff, besides confirming the strike on the Moscow oil refinery, also stated it had attacked a railway bridge over the North Crimean Canal. The Gukovo oil depot in Russia’s Rostov region was also not spared from the attack. “In addition, our forces struck a bridge over the Kalka River near the village of Hranitne in the Donetsk region and a railway bridge on the North Crimean Canal in the Razdolnensky district of Crimea,” the Ukrainian general military staff’s statement read.