MOSCOW — Ukrainian drones struck a major oil refinery in southeast Moscow on Thursday, igniting fires at the facility for the second time in three days, Russian officials said.
The attack targeted the Kapotnya refinery, a key fuel supplier to the Moscow region operated by Gazprom Neft, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. Russian air defenses intercepted nearly 200 Ukrainian drones approaching the capital, but several reached the refinery, causing blazes and plumes of black smoke.
It was part of one of Ukraine’s largest drone offensives on Moscow since the start of the conflict more than four years ago, according to Russian state media. The strikes also disrupted operations at Moscow’s major airports, forcing temporary flight suspensions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the strike as a justified response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. “Our drones are reaching targets with increasing precision,” he said in a statement.
Russian officials reported that fires at the refinery were contained, with no casualties at the site. Debris from intercepted drones injured about 17 people in the broader Moscow region, authorities said. Details on the extent of damage to the refinery’s processing units remained unclear.
The Kapotnya facility supplies roughly a third of Moscow’s fuel. A similar Ukrainian drone strike on Tuesday had already halted some operations there, industry sources told Reuters.
Russia responded with its own drone attacks on Ukrainian targets, officials in Kyiv reported. The exchange reflects intensified long-range strikes by both sides targeting energy infrastructure and other sites.
As of Thursday evening, Russian emergency services continued working at the affected areas. Flights at Moscow airports had resumed, according to aviation authorities. No immediate comment was available from Ukrainian military officials on the specific operation.
The incidents come amid ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
