Ukraine has launched what Russian state news agency TASS described as its largest drone offensive against Moscow in two years, in an overnight attack that damaged a major oil refinery, triggered fires, and sent debris falling across multiple areas of the region.
According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Russian air defenses intercepted at least 194 drones heading toward the capital overnight into Thursday. This figure is significantly higher than during other major attacks in recent months, when drone numbers were typically in the double digits, BBC reported.
The wider wave of strikes was part of a broader Ukrainian operation across Russian territory, with Russia’s Defense Ministry claiming that air defenses intercepted a total of 555 drones, including over the Azov Sea.
Flights at all major Moscow airports were temporarily suspended on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing Russia’s aviation authority.
Kyiv has recently intensified long-range strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure, a strategy President Volodymyr Zelensky has described as essential to forcing Moscow to end the war.
Zelensky called Thursday’s attacks “a completely justified response to Russian strikes on our cities and communities,” in a Telegram post from Brussels, where he arrived for meetings with NATO leaders.
“In recent days, all our partners have seen the accuracy and effectiveness of our medium-range strikes and long-range sanctions,” he said.
Among the targets was the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, which had also been struck earlier in the week.
