Ukraine Strikes Moscow Oil Refinery in Drone Attack

Ukraine has launched a significant drone attack on a major oil refinery near Moscow. This incident caused a large fire and sent dark smoke over the Russian capital. The strike highlights Ukraine’s focus on targeting critical oil infrastructure beyond its borders.

This attack took place a day after Russia’s heavy aerial assault on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. The Russian attack damaged a renowned cathedral and monastery, which led to international condemnation. Ukrainian officials reported that at least 11 people were killed across Ukraine.

The incident occurred as leaders of the world’s key economies were preparing to meet at the G7 summit in France. They intend to discuss a ceasefire for the ongoing conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack. He stated that Ukrainian drones traveled 500 kilometers (310 miles) to hit the Moscow Oil Refinery. Zelensky referred to this as a “just response” to Russian bombings in Ukraine.

The Moscow Oil Refinery is crucial, supplying about 40% of the petroleum demand for the Moscow area, according to Ukrainian media.

Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced on social media that Russian air defenses intercepted 60 Ukrainian drones overnight. Despite these measures, one drone managed to damage an unspecified facility within the refinery. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Andriy Kovalenko, a Ukrainian official, noted that an oil processing unit caught fire. Tass, Russia’s state news agency, described this as one of the largest Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow this year.

“This time, the Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities,” stated Zelensky.

Kovalenko said the situation raises concerns over whether the refinery will shut down or suffer significant capacity loss.

Ukraine has consistently targeted Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and storage sites. The goal is to cut off important financial resources supporting the Kremlin’s war efforts. Russian oil production has decreased by hundreds of thousands of barrels per day as a result.

The Russian energy ministry previously reported “temporary difficulties with fuel supplies” in southern Russia, attributing these problems to Ukrainian airstrikes. Consequently, the government established a task force to address the supply issues.

Ukraine’s drone forces, special operations, and military intelligence were all involved in the recent attack, according to President Zelensky.