Ukraine Drones Punch Through Moscow’s Three-Layer Air Defenses, Blow Up Major Oil Refinery
Ukrainian drones breached Moscow’s three-layer air defense system on Thursday and struck the Moscow Oil Refinery, one of Russia’s largest fuel producers, in what Kyiv called the biggest attack on the capital since the war began [175577][175760]. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the strike, saying the refinery—which produces over 12 million tons of oil annually—was hit for the second time in days, sending large explosions and black smoke over the city [175760].
The Ukrainian military said the coordinated assault involved hundreds of drones, overwhelming air defenses that Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed shot down more than 190 of them [175760]. Video from the Kapotno district showed a drone striking a storage tank, blowing its lid into the air [175760][175454]. Multiple drones reached the refinery, forcing Moscow’s airports to suspend flights [175454].
The attack is part of a Ukrainian campaign to disrupt Russian energy facilities that support both the economy and military logistics [175760]. Zelenskyy called the strikes “long-range sanctions,” warning that if President Vladimir Putin refuses to end the war, “your Moscow will be burning as well” [175760].
The refinery damage has already tightened fuel supply. Russia’s largest oil company, Rosneft, has stopped selling gasoline in canisters and now limits drivers to 90 liters per fill-up, a move analysts say signals growing pressure after drone strikes cut output at more than a dozen refineries since January [175342][175398]. The government has also quietly relaxed fuel quality rules, allowing refineries to sell gasoline with sulfur levels up to 15 times higher than European Union limits, as shortages spread across over 25 regions [174368][174373].