Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks on Moscow on Thursday, targeting the Russian capital’s oil refinery for the second time this week. Kyiv said the operation was a response to a recent strike that damaged the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, a religious site with nearly 1,000 years of history.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy defended the attack, insisting Ukraine did not seek the conflict but would continue to respond to Russian aggression.
“We don’t want this war, we never did, and everyone knows it, and our partners know it,” Zelenskiy said in a voice message sent to reporters. “But if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn.”
The latest escalation came as Russia launched fresh missile attacks on Kyiv, marking the second strike on the Ukrainian capital this week. The attack followed international condemnation over damage caused to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, although Moscow denied responsibility.
In Moscow, eyewitnesses reported flames and thick smoke rising from the Kapotnya district in the city’s southeast, where the refinery that supplies fuel to the capital is located.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that several Ukrainian drones reached the refinery area, while a nearby shopping centre sustained minor damage.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems intercepted 555 drones across the country, with 180 reportedly destroyed in the Moscow region alone. State news agency TASS described the incident as one of the largest drone attacks on Moscow this year.
Ukraine’s military confirmed the refinery strike and stated that additional operations targeted an oil depot in Russia’s Rostov region and two strategic bridges, as Kyiv intensifies efforts to disrupt Russian logistics and military supply routes.
More than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, while Russia continues missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Kyiv argues that advances in drone warfare are helping shift momentum on the battlefield and increasing pressure on Moscow to negotiate a peace settlement.
The Ukrainian president has also stepped up diplomatic efforts aimed at securing greater international support and pushing Russia toward negotiations.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha addressed residents of the Russian capital directly in a post on X:
“One of the most popular questions asked by Muscovites this morning is ‘What is going on?’ I can answer. Your country started a war of aggression against ours. For years, it has been killing our people. Now that you know what’s going on, ask Putin when he is planning to end it.”
Zelenskiy described the strikes as a justified response to Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian communities and military infrastructure.
Russia has maintained that Ukraine is losing the war and continues to insist that Kyiv must cede territory before meaningful peace negotiations can take place.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the latest Ukrainian attacks have further reduced the chances of direct talks between President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy.
Nevertheless, Ukraine maintains that its military actions are aimed at weakening Russia’s war capabilities.
A previous drone strike on Moscow’s refinery earlier this week had already forced a temporary shutdown of operations, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The continued attacks are placing additional pressure on Russia’s energy sector. Industry sources say the country may be forced to import fuel by sea this month due to supply disruptions caused by repeated strikes on refineries.
Authorities in the Moscow region reported damage to a residential high-rise building, an industrial facility and several private homes. Sixteen people were reportedly injured.
Air traffic was temporarily suspended at all Moscow airports, while traffic along roads surrounding the refinery was halted. Sheremetyevo Airport, the city’s busiest aviation hub, was reportedly evacuated as a precaution.
Elsewhere in Russia, officials said a Ukrainian drone strike killed a man in his vehicle in the Belgorod region near the border. Another attack in the Rostov region left one person dead and triggered fires at two commercial facilities.
Meanwhile, explosions were reported across Kyiv as air raid alerts were activated in much of Ukraine.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said Russia launched ballistic missile attacks against the capital. Authorities had not released details of casualties or damage at the time of reporting.
In northeastern Ukraine, officials in Sumy said one person was killed in an overnight drone strike. In the southeastern city of Dnipro, a Russian attack reportedly killed one person and injured 11 others, according to regional authorities.
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