Ukraine launches largest drone attack on Moscow since start of war, Russian officials say

Ukraine’s armed forces launched a major drone attack on Moscow during the night of June 18, with Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin saying that a total of 194 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) approaching the capital were shot down.

According to figures released by Russian authorities, the attack was the largest drone assault on Moscow since the start of Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine.

The previous highest number of drones directed at Moscow in a single night was recorded on March 11, when officials said 74 UAVs had been intercepted and destroyed.

In addition, authorities reported on May 17 that air defence systems had intercepted and shot down more than 120 drones heading toward the capital over the course of a single day.

One of the targets of the overnight attack was reportedly the Moscow Oil Refinery (MNPZ) in the Kapotnya district. The facility had also come under attack two days earlier and subsequently suspended operations.

The latest strike on the refinery was reported to have triggered a major fire. According to calculations by the Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+, a total of seven separate fire locations were observed within the facility’s grounds.

Some drone debris also fell in the area of the Sadovod shopping centre. One of the buildings at the complex was damaged and caught fire.

Drone fragments were also reported to have damaged the roof of the Belaya Dacha shopping centre. Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov said: “A fire broke out. Information regarding the size of the fire and possible casualties is being clarified.”

Residential high-rise buildings in the Novyye Kotelniki district of Moscow were also damaged during the attacks. Apartment buildings in Zhukovsky and Lyubertsy likewise sustained damage.

Detached houses in the village of Stepanovo near Elektrostal were reported damaged. Homes in the village of Masnovo-Zhukovo were also affected.

Private residences in Kryukovo and Pavlovsky Posad were also reported to have suffered damage as a result of the attacks.

Authorities said one woman was injured in the incidents.

Due to the scale of the attack, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) imposed restrictions at all airports in Moscow.

Passengers were reportedly evacuated from Sheremetyevo Airport. The evacuations were said to include passengers already on board aircraft.

Aeroflot urged passengers on cancelled flights not to travel to the airport. The airline recommended that ticket refunds and rebooking procedures be completed remotely.

According to information cited by the Ostorozhno, Novosti channel, approximately 250 arriving and departing flights at Moscow airports were affected by delays.

Russia’s Interior Ministry also announced that several roads around the Moscow Oil Refinery had been closed to traffic.

Authorities further reported restrictions on traffic in both directions along a section of the Moscow Ring Road (MKAD) between Novoryazanskoye Highway (Volgogradsky Prospekt) and Kashirskoye Highway.

According to information published by VChK-OGPU, authorities also closed Red Square.

The same source reported that armed security personnel equipped with machine guns were stationed around the Kremlin’s towers and walls, as well as near Lenin’s Mausoleum.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry’s overnight summary, air defence units intercepted and destroyed a total of 555 Ukrainian drones across various regions of Russia.

The ministry said the drones were detected in the airspace of 17 different regions.

The same statement added that drone activity was also recorded over Crimea and in the airspace above the Sea of Azov.