Introduction
In areas of Moscow, people said they saw black oily specks rain after a Ukrainian drone attack hit an oil refinery in what the Russian government termed as the biggest attack on the Russian capital since the outbreak of the full-scale war. Fires broke out at the Kapotnya refinery in southeastern Moscow and officials estimated 17 injuries in the greater Moscow area, with heavy smoke in the air. The attack interfered with air traffic, destroyed infrastructure and underscored the growing long range strike capabilities of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared the operation to be retaliation for a recent Russian attack on Kyiv, and Moscow threatened to strike Ukraine more massively.
Ukrainian Drone Barrage Targets Moscow
Ukraine launched nearly 200 drones in what Russian authorities described as the biggest air attack on Moscow since the start of the full-scale invasion more than four years ago.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that nearly 1,000 drones and four Ukrainian cruise missiles were intercepted across the country within 24 hours. Authorities also said that a depot with oil in the southern region of Rostov was also hit leaving one person dead.
In the Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov announced that 17 individuals were injured in the region as smoke columns soared above the capital.
Residents Describe ‘Black Rain’
Individuals residing in southeastern Moscow, reported to the BBC that a fine drizzle caused dark stains on clothes.
A woman reported that she had gone out of her apartment building and saw some ugly black spots on her clothes. She also mentioned that a jacket belonging to a friend was covered with black specks and she said that they would now keep an eye on whether exposure to petroleum products had any health effects.
Videos confirmed by the BBC depicted a sprinkling of oil on a car park surface, whereas the surface beneath parked cars was rather clear.
Although residents testified to it, Moscow officials denied that there had been an oil rain.
Authorities attributed air-quality concerns to smoke and refinery fires, while residents continued sharing images of black deposits on social media.
But the official Telegram channel in the city gave a warning to the citizens in the affected district, and people were advised to keep the windows closed. The residents of the area including families with children, elderly people, and those with asthma were encouraged to exit the area.
Kapotnya Oil Refinery Hit Again
The strike marked the refinery’s second attack in the same week and one of several attacks reported over the past month.
The Kapotnya refinery, located in southeast Moscow, is one of the capital’s key fuel-processing facilities, making it a strategically important target for Ukrainian long-range strikes.
Massive fires erupted in the area, making the sky black with smoke. The online videos of a large explosion which burst the top of a big oil storage silo had the roof of the tank fly dozens of metres in the air.
An adjacent shopping centre also caught fire, allegedly due to the pieces of drones hitting the building.
Videos circulating online showed damage to a residential high-rise, with shattered glass and debris visible on the facade and in the courtyard below.
Air Travel Disrupted Across Moscow
The four airports in Moscow were temporarily closed down due to the attacks. Russian aviation authorities temporarily restricted operations at Moscow airports as air-defence units responded to incoming drones.
Aviation authorities suspended flights and more than 500 flights were delayed or cancelled.
Though the Russian authorities have banned the publication of pictures of the consequences of the drone attacks, a wide variety of videos was distributed through social media. The video displayed drones soaring in the air during the daylight and bombings in industrial zones around the city.
Ukrainian Strategy Involves Decoy Drones
Military analysts believe Ukraine often combines reconnaissance and decoy drones with strike drones to identify weaknesses in Russian air-defence coverage before launching larger attacks.
The attack on Thursday showed the growing size of the Ukrainian operations and cast new doubts on the efficiency of the air-defence network developed by Moscow to protect critical infrastructure.
According to experts, there is no air-defence infrastructure that can assure total safety against mass attacks of highly-developed drones. Although interception rates are high, debris that falls as a result of anti-missile systems poses extra risks on the ground.
Residents Near Refinery Describe Fear
A man who lives near the refinery informed the BBC that his apartment building was shaking in the morning.
He claimed that he had woken up to the smell of burning and could hardly breathe.
The man explained that this has been a scary experience and he said that he has been less scared before but the recent attack has brought him near the verge of a panic.
Zelensky Says Attack Was Retaliation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the operation was a response to Russia’s attack on Kyiv last week.
Zelensky also warned that Russia should not expect to remain untouched by a war it launched against Ukraine.
The attacks form part of Kyiv’s broader strategy of extending the war’s consequences beyond the front lines through long-range strikes on targets across Russia, including Moscow and St Petersburg.
Drone attacks on Moscow, about 500km from the Ukrainian border, have become increasingly frequent as Ukraine has expanded its long-range strike capabilities.
Ukraine’s first successful drone strikes reached Moscow in spring 2023. At the time, the attacks were sporadic and rarely involved more than a handful of drones. Russia has since reinforced its air defences in the capital, although Ukraine has drastically escalated the intensity of the attacks and certain drones still reach their systems.
Russia Promises Larger Retaliation
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared Russian attacks on Ukraine would go on at mass level.
He claimed that he had always believed that words are inadequate.
Russia also deployed over 200 drones and some ballistic missiles in Ukraine overnight, Kyiv claimed.
Putin Silent During Kazan Summit
Putin did not immediately issue a public statement regarding the attack while attending events in Kazan.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Addresses Russians
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha urged Russians to question why the war continues and who bears responsibility for its consequences.
His message came as residents in Moscow reacted to one of the largest drone attacks on the Russian capital since the start of the full-scale war.
Why This Matters
The attack marks another stage in the evolution of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
For years, most of the fighting remained far from daily life in Moscow. Ukraine’s growing long-range strike capability is gradually bringing the consequences of the conflict to major Russian cities.
The latest attack exposed vulnerabilities in Moscow’s air-defence systems, disrupted air traffic and damaged strategic energy infrastructure. It also demonstrated Kyiv’s ability to conduct large-scale operations deep inside Russian territory.
The increasing scale of drone and missile attacks suggests the conflict is continuing to escalate, with neither side showing signs of easing military pressure.
What’s Next?
Russia has indicated that further large-scale attacks on Ukraine can be expected.
Ukraine will probably continue to deploy long-range drones to strike strategic and Russian targets.
Conclusion
The biggest Ukrainian strike on Moscow since the start of the full-scale war caused fires, injuries and widespread disruption, while residents reported strange black oily residue falling from the sky. As Ukraine expands its ability to strike deep inside Russian territory and Moscow threatens further retaliation, the conflict appears set to remain in a prolonged phase of escalation and attrition.
