Ukraine hits Moscow oil refinery, disrupts flights in major drone attack

Ukraine struck a Moscow oil refinery for the second time in a week and disrupted commercial flights at airports in the Russian capital in one of its largest drone attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than four years ago, Russian officials said on Thursday.

The Russian Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 555 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions, with nearly 200 intercepted while approaching Moscow.

Several drones hit the Moscow Oil Refinery on the southeastern outskirts of the city, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The refinery is one of the key fuel-processing facilities serving the Russian capital and surrounding regions.

The latest strike marks the second reported attack on the refinery within a week, underscoring Ukraine's continued efforts to target energy and industrial infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.

The Russian Transport Ministry said flights at four Moscow airports were temporarily halted following the attack. Operations were suspended as a precautionary measure while air defence systems responded to the incoming drones.

Authorities did not immediately provide details on the duration of the disruptions or the number of flights affected. There were also no immediate reports of casualties linked to the attack.

The Defence Ministry said drones were intercepted over multiple Russian regions, reflecting the broad geographical scope of the overnight assault. Officials described it as one of the largest drone attacks mounted by Ukraine since the start of the war.

Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range drone strikes to target military, energy and industrial facilities inside Russia, arguing that such sites support Moscow's war effort. Russian authorities have accused Kyiv of attempting to disrupt civilian infrastructure and spread panic.

The latest attack comes as fighting continues along the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine, while both sides have stepped up long-range strikes far from the battlefield.

Moscow has repeatedly reported drone incursions targeting the capital and other major cities in recent months, prompting temporary airport closures and heightened security measures.

Neither Russian officials nor Ukrainian authorities immediately provided additional details about the specific objectives of the latest operation.

The war, now in its fifth year, has increasingly seen the use of drones by both sides, with attacks extending well beyond the immediate combat zone and affecting critical infrastructure, transportation networks and energy facilities.