Refinery Inferno Paralyzes Moscow

Ukraine just pulled off its biggest drone attack ever on Moscow — setting fire to the city’s largest oil refinery and forcing all four airports to shut down, while Russia vows massive retaliation.

Story Highlights

Ukraine struck the Gazprom Neft refinery in Moscow — the city’s main fuel supplier — for the second time in three days, sending thick black smoke over the Russian capital.
Russian authorities say they intercepted around 194 drones over Moscow in a single night, nearly three times the previous record of 74 set in March.
All four Moscow airports shut down twice during the attacks, canceling more than 170 flights.
Zelensky called the strikes a “fully justified response” to Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukrainian cities and said the goal is to pressure Moscow into ending the war.

Moscow’s Biggest Refinery Hit — Again

Ukrainian drones struck the Gazprom Neft oil refinery in the Kapotnya district of southeastern Moscow on June 16, setting it on fire. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the strike and said no one was injured. The refinery sits about 15 kilometers from the Kremlin and is the largest fuel supplier in the Moscow region. In 2024, the facility processed 11.6 million tons of crude oil and produced millions of tons of gasoline and diesel fuel.

This was the second strike on the same refinery in just three days. By June 18, Ukraine launched what Russian officials called the largest drone assault on Moscow since the war began. Mayor Sobyanin reported that approximately 194 drones were intercepted over the city that night — nearly three times the previous record of 74 set back in March. Some drones broke through and hit the refinery again, sparking new fires. Drone debris also damaged apartment buildings and other structures nearby.

Airports Shut Down, Flights Canceled

The scale of the attack disrupted daily life across Moscow. All four of the city’s major airports suspended operations twice during the drone waves. Sheremetyevo Airport — Russia’s largest — evacuated passengers. More than 170 flights were canceled. Most reported injuries in the area came from falling debris after drones were shot down, which is common during large-scale drone attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin was away at an ASEAN summit in Kazan, about 800 kilometers east of Moscow, while the attacks unfolded.

Since the start of 2026, drone attacks on Russian oil refineries have doubled in frequency, causing full or partial shutdowns at several processing plants. Reuters reported those attacks have already cut output of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel across Russia. Ukraine has openly said the goal is to hit Russia’s war economy by targeting the oil infrastructure that funds the Kremlin’s military machine.

Zelensky’s Message: The War Comes Home to Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not hide Ukraine’s role in the strikes. He posted a video of a drone hitting the Moscow refinery and called it a “just response” to Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukrainian cities. “The Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities,” Zelensky wrote on social media. He also said the strikes were meant to push Russia toward ending the war, calling the operation a form of pressure on Moscow to negotiate.

Ukraine Drone Strikes On Moscow.

In a shocking escalation of the Ukraine conflict, Kyiv unleashed nearly 200 drones on Moscow in what is being called one of the largest attacks on the Russian capital since the war began. While the main target was the Kapotnya oil refinery, which… pic.twitter.com/JHhMUcS12v

— BritMatters 🇬🇧 (@britmatters) June 18, 2026

Zelensky noted that Ukraine’s drones traveled more than 500 kilometers to reach targets in one of the most heavily defended regions in Russia. Ukraine has been building a fleet of long-range, one-way attack drones designed to hit strategic targets deep inside Russian territory. These weapons serve multiple purposes: damaging key infrastructure, stretching Russia’s air defenses thin, and making the Russian public feel the cost of the war their government started. Russia responded to the strikes by firing seven missiles and 239 drones at Ukraine, as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders met to discuss more military aid and air defense systems for Kyiv.