Moscow has experienced its largest Ukrainian drone attack since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with nearly 200 drones targeting areas around the Russian capital and sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky.
According to Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov, at least 17 people were injured in the attack.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said that almost 1,000 drones and four Ukrainian cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed across the country within a 24-hour period. In the southern Rostov region, an oil depot was struck, resulting in one fatality.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the operation as another example of Kyiv’s use of “long-range sanctions,” a term increasingly used to refer to Ukraine’s long-distance strikes on Russian territory.
“It’s time to end this war, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy,” Zelensky said. He added that the large-scale attack was a response to a recent Russian strike on Kyiv that set a major religious landmark on fire.
“We don’t want this war and have never wanted it,” Zelensky said. “But if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn too.”
Fires and Airport Disruptions
Several fires were reported across the Moscow region. The Kapotnya oil refinery in southeast Moscow was hit for the third time in a month and the second time in a single week, sending black smoke across the city skyline.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show the lid of a large oil storage tank being blown high into the air following a powerful explosion. A nearby shopping centre also caught fire, reportedly after being struck by falling drone debris. Authorities evacuated several residential high-rise buildings as a precaution.
The attack caused significant disruption to air travel. All four of Moscow’s airports were temporarily closed, with more than 500 flights either delayed or cancelled.
Videos Surface Despite Restrictions
Although Russian authorities have prohibited the publication of images showing the aftermath of drone attacks, numerous videos emerged online showing drones flying over Moscow in broad daylight and explosions in industrial zones on the city’s outskirts.
Military analysts note that Ukraine has frequently used reconnaissance and decoy drones to identify weaknesses in Russian air defence systems before launching larger strikes.
Bringing the War Closer to Russia
More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, fighting continues along the front lines. However, Kyiv’s expanding long-range strike capability has increasingly brought the conflict into Russian territory.
Drone attacks on Moscow, located roughly 500 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, have become more common since Ukraine successfully carried out its first strikes against the Russian capital in 2023. While those early attacks involved only a small number of drones, recent operations have become larger and more sophisticated.
Russia has since expanded air defence systems around Moscow, but the growing scale of Ukrainian drone operations has raised questions about the effectiveness of those defences. Security experts note that even advanced air defence networks face significant challenges when confronting large-scale drone swarms, and that no system can provide complete protection against sustained attacks.
Thursday’s barrage is likely to intensify scrutiny of Russia’s ability to safeguard critical infrastructure in and around the capital.
Russia Launches Counterattacks
Ukraine reported that Russia launched more than 200 drones and multiple ballistic missiles overnight in a separate wave of attacks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is hosting Southeast Asian leaders at a summit in the city of Kazan, has not publicly commented on the strikes against Moscow.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha addressed Russian citizens directly in a post on social media platform X.
“One of the most popular questions asked by Muscovites this morning is: ‘What is going on?’” Sybiha wrote.
“I can answer. Your country started a war of aggression against ours. For years, it has been killing our people. Now that you know what is going on, ask Putin when he is planning to end it.
