Russia says Ukrainian drone attack kills two in Moscow region and damages oil refinery facility
Russia said a large overnight Ukrainian drone attack hit the Moscow region and the capital, causing deaths, injuries and damage to infrastructure. Officials said the strike also triggered fires in residential buildings and a warehouse, while a facility at the Moscow oil refinery was damaged. Flight restrictions were imposed at two airports as authorities responded to the attack.
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Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defences shot down drones heading towards the capital, and described the assault as unprecedented. He said 450 of the drones intercepted were aimed at Moscow, while Russian authorities claimed a total of more than 1,600 drones were launched toward Russia. In the Moscow region, regional governor Andrei Vorobyev said at least two people were killed and six others injured.
The reported damage to the Moscow oil refinery facility adds to the economic and security significance of the strike. Fires in homes and a warehouse suggest the attack affected both civilian property and industrial infrastructure. The temporary restrictions at two airports also point to wider disruption beyond the immediate sites of impact.
The attack comes as Russia continues its full-scale war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, and as both sides seek to shape the political and military narrative around the conflict. Russian officials linked the timing of the strike to the final day of parliamentary elections, saying the aim was to disrupt voting. Ukraine has repeatedly used drones to target sites inside Russia, while Moscow has continued large-scale missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
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The Moscow region has been a frequent target of long-range drone strikes since the war began, reflecting the expanding reach of aerial warfare. The capital and surrounding area are also home to key political, transport and energy infrastructure, making them sensitive targets for any cross-border attack. Damage near the oil refinery is likely to draw particular attention because of the site's strategic and symbolic importance.
It remains unclear how many drones reached the Moscow area, how much damage was caused at the refinery facility, and whether the reported deaths and injuries were directly linked to drone impacts or to fires that followed. Officials have not yet provided a full assessment of the attack or the extent of the disruption at the airports. Further details are likely to emerge as emergency services and investigators continue their work.
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