Flights were suspended at Moscow’s main airports in the face of a swarm of drones that were fired from Kiev. “If Ukraine is on fire, the same will happen in Moscow”, warns Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukraine launched the biggest drone offensive against Moscow since the start of the full-scale war, in an attack that damaged a major oil refinery, sparked fires and scattered debris across the region.
Air defenses shot down at least 194 drones heading to the Russian capital during the early hours of Thursday, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. This number is much higher than on other days of intense attacks in recent months, when drones numbered just a few dozen, and clearly demonstrates the drastic improvement in Kiev’s drone capabilities since the start of Russia’s invasion of the country more than four years ago.
The attack, which left at least 17 injured, was part of a wider Ukrainian offensive over a vast area of Russia, with air defenses intercepting almost a thousand drones, according to the Russian Defense Ministry – including over the Sea of Azov.
Flights at all major Moscow airports were temporarily suspended on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing the Russian aviation agency.
Smoke rises after Ukrainian drone attack on an oil refinery in Moscow (Telegram/Astra Press)
Kiev has intensified its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in recent weeks, with long-range shots. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the strategy fundamental to forcing Moscow to end the war.
Zelensky called Thursday’s attacks a “justified” response to the Russian attack that damaged a historic monastic complex, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the heart of Kiev earlier this week.
“We don’t want this war and we never have – everyone knows that, and so do our partners,” he told the press. “But if Ukraine is on fire, so will Moscow. That’s why we emphasize once again that it’s time to end the aggression; it’s time to end this war.”
Among Ukraine’s targets was the Moscow oil refinery, just 15 kilometers from the Kremlin, in the Kapotnya district, in the southeast of the country, which was also hit and damaged by Ukraine last Tuesday.
A video geolocated by CNN showed a projectile being fired into the ground from a road as drones approached the refinery, with dense black smoke rising above. Another video showed a large explosion rocking part of the complex, tearing the roof off a large fuel tank and sending it into the air.
CNN spoke to residents southeast of Moscow, near the Kapotnya oil refinery, who described waking up to explosions, thick smoke and a strong burning smell in the early hours of Thursday.
“The smell is terrible. We closed the windows, but it’s still difficult to breathe inside the apartment,” described Natalya Klimova, 25, who lives with her mother in Maryino, a neighborhood neighboring Kapotnya. “It’s really quite scary.”
Klimova heard at least 10 loud explosions and ran to the bathroom for safety, but the mirror was shaking and the entire building seemed to shake. The sound was so loud that the mother’s blood pressure rose, but Klimova said she was too scared to leave to take her to a doctor.
Another resident of Maryino, Maria, 44, woke up to the sound of explosions and then left the area towards her mother’s country house – a rural residence on the outskirts of Moscow.
“I was sure the refinery would burn down sooner or later. I packed my things and went to my mother’s country house,” he said, adding that it was not the first time the Moscow oil refinery had been hit.
Maria described a strange feeling of emotional numbness after years of viewing images of Ukraine. “I think I was scared when I saw the photos and videos from Ukraine,” she said. “And now it’s so close to me, but I seem to be desensitized to it.”
On social media, residents posted photographs of black, sooty raindrops on cars and windowsills, apparently left by an oil-saturated rain. However, Russian authorities denied that any “oil rain” had fallen, although they advised residents to “minimize time outdoors” to avoid inhaling soot.
Russia retaliated against Ukraine with seven missiles and 239 drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The attack hit a private residence, an energy infrastructure facility, a hangar and oil installations in the Kiev and Poltava regions, according to Ukrainian and Russian authorities.
In response to the attacks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Moscow will launch regular attacks on targets in Ukraine that affect the combat capability of its Armed Forces.
Ukraine has launched extensive drone attacks on Russian refineries and military installations in recent months, targeting naval installations, depots and oil terminals. Some attacks took place in the Leningrad region, where St. Petersburg recently hosted a global economic forum often dubbed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “Davos.”
Russia’s state budget depends on oil revenue for at least a third of its income, according to analysts. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the number of buyers of Russian oil has dwindled, thanks to tighter sanctions from the European Union and Washington – although the war with Iran has proved an unexpected opportunity, with Moscow benefiting from rising global fuel prices and sanctions relief.
NATO meeting
Thursday’s attack came shortly after world leaders met at the G7 summit in France, where Zelensky said “everyone” agreed to help Ukraine obtain more air defense capabilities – and that US President Donald Trump welcomed his suggestions.
On Tuesday, Trump encouraged Russia to accept a deal that would end the five-year war. “Russia has lost a huge number of people, as has Ukraine,” he said.
On Thursday, at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he and Zelensky had discussed the war in a meeting the day before.
“Ukraine is doing very well,” said Rutte, citing Russian losses of 30 to 35 thousand per month. He added that discussions are still ongoing “with all allies to ensure Ukraine has what it needs,” including missile interceptors and weapons systems.
The NATO meeting comes at a crucial time for Europe, which has been rocked by statements from Trump administration officials about plans to reduce the amount of U.S. forces and equipment stationed in Europe.
At the meeting, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reinforced this position, announcing a six-month review that will examine the “US force posture in Europe”, whose objective is “to ensure that NATO is moving forward quickly and irreversibly” so that Europe takes responsibility for its defense.
He stated that Washington’s annual contribution to the alliance would be “conditional on the achievement of defense spending targets by other countries”, adding that “where other allies do not invest with the necessary urgency, our contribution will decrease”.
Last week, The New York Times reported that the US plans to significantly reduce the number of aircraft and warships made available for NATO operations in Europe, citing European sources.
