Moscow experienced its largest drone attack since the beginning of the full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine on the morning of June 18. According to Russian authorities, over 180 drones attacked the capital and surrounding areas. Amid the strikes, a fire broke out again at the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya area, which had already been attacked a few days prior. This is reported by Russian media, according to NV.
Over 180 drones attacked Moscow
According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, air defense forces repelled a massive drone raid for several hours.
Estimates from the Russian side suggest that the number of drones heading towards the Russian capital exceeded 180 units.
This is more than during previous large-scale attacks on Moscow in 2025 and 2026.
Analysts note that the current strike set a record for the number of drones recorded acting simultaneously in the Moscow direction.
A fire broke out again at the Moscow Oil Refinery
One of the main targets of the attack was the Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya.
According to Russian sources, a fire was detected on the premises of the plant. This is the second attack on the facility in the last two days.
It was previously reported that one of the key initial oil processing units was damaged as a result of the prior strike.
According to Reuters, after the previous attack, the refinery temporarily suspended operations.
Why the Moscow Oil Refinery is strategically important
The Moscow Oil Refinery is considered one of the most important fuel facilities in Russia.
The plant is capable of processing about 11 million tons of oil per year and provides approximately half of Moscow's diesel fuel needs.
Despite the significant concentration of air defense systems around the refinery, drones managed to reach the area of the plant again.
Due to the attack, there were temporary restrictions on the arrival and departure of flights at Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports.
It should be noted that in an article by Phillips Payson O’Brien for The Atlantic, the change in perception of the war in Russia is analyzed following a massive strike of Ukrainian drones and missiles on Moscow.