The metal lid of a storage tank was thrown into the air after an explosion at the Moscow refinery this Thursday morning (18), in a drone attack attributed to Ukraine, according to images released by social media and Russian authorities.
The images show the moment when the impact causes a ball of fire and throws the circular cover of the tank to a great height. Then, flames and thick black smoke engulfed the refinery area, located in the Kapotnya district, one of the main fuel processing units in the Russian capital.
Other videos published online show the fire spreading through part of the industrial complex, with visible flames and the structure covered in smoke. In one of the recordings, transmission towers and electrical infrastructure in the vicinity of the installation also appear.
According to Russian officials, Ukraine launched one of the largest drone offensives against Moscow in more than two years of war. The country’s air defenses reportedly shot down 194 drones bound for the capital, while hundreds of others were intercepted in different regions of Russia.
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The attack occurred just hours after the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, during the G7 summit, held in France.
“I just spoke with US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. It was an important coordination call, which could bring significant changes. We reviewed the results of our talks at the G7,” Zelensky said.
So far, there has been no official confirmation about injuries or the extent of the damage caused to the refinery.
