Ukraine launched an extensive drone assault on Russia on Thursday, marking one of the largest strikes on Moscow since the outset of the conflict. Kyiv deployed over 1,000 drones across Russian territory, with nearly 200 targeting the capital in concentrated waves aimed at critical infrastructure, including the largest oil refinery in Moscow’s southeastern district of Kapotnya. The attack also included four cruise missiles, according to reports.
Russian authorities said their air defenses intercepted at least 992 drones nationwide and shot down all four cruise missiles. Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow’s mayor, confirmed that air defenses had neutralized 194 drones headed toward the capital. Despite these efforts, the strikes caused significant damage: the oil refinery suffered multiple explosions and fires, with videos circulating online showing a fuel storage tank’s lid propelled hundreds of meters into the air. The blasts sent plumes of toxic smoke over nearby neighborhoods, prompting local environmental officials to advise residents to limit outdoor activity, though they denied reports of oil in the rain.
Additional drones struck residential buildings, large shopping centers, and Moscow’s largest open-air market. At least 16 people, including two children, were reported injured in the Moscow region. The attack led to the temporary closure of all four Moscow airports, disrupting more than 500 flights, including 170 cancellations by Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the drone offensive as a "fully justified response" to recent Russian missile strikes that damaged cultural sites in Kyiv, including the Pechersk Lavra monastery complex. He emphasized that if Ukraine suffers destruction, Moscow would experience retaliation. Zelensky called on Russia to pursue diplomacy to end the conflict, a war Kyiv insists it never wanted.
The assaults represent a significant demonstration of Ukraine’s growing capacity to conduct long-range attacks deep within Russian territory using largely domestically produced drones. Analysts note that while Russian forces have made limited progress on the battlefield, Ukraine’s precision strikes are increasingly penetrating Russian defenses to target military and energy infrastructure. The repeated hits on the Kapotnya refinery have notably disrupted Russia’s fuel production, prompting rationing measures in Russian-occupied regions such as Crimea and southeastern Ukraine.
Russian hard-liners have responded to the drone campaign by urging Moscow to unleash the full strength of its military, including striking Ukrainian leadership and infrastructure comprehensively to prevent further escalation. Former General Andrei Gurulyov and state media commentators have called for harsher retaliation, raising concerns about a potential escalation of violence despite ongoing stalemates along the front lines. However, President Vladimir Putin has not publicly addressed the drone strikes during his recent appearances and Russian state media have downplayed their impact.
In Moscow, residents expressed a mix of fear, confusion, and disbelief at the scale of the attacks. Some described the strikes as unprecedented and felt unprepared for the sudden exposure to attacks on the capital, reflecting the broader challenge faced by Russian authorities in shielding the population from the war’s consequences. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has intensified restrictions on sharing images and information regarding Ukrainian attacks online, with warnings issued against publicizing strike aftermaths.
Internationally, G7 nations pledged continued support for Ukraine, highlighting the effectiveness of Kyiv’s drone strikes and calling for increased deliveries of air defense munitions. As the conflict enters its fifth year, the drone strikes on Moscow underscore both the evolving tactics of the war and the heightened risks of escalation between the two sides.