Moscow Refinery Hit in Largest Ukrainian Drone Strike; Two Killed as Russia Downed 1,600 Drones

In the latest escalation of the Russia‑Ukraine conflict, a Ukrainian drone assault on a Moscow‑area oil refinery has resulted in two fatalities and significant damage to the facility. The attack, described by Moscow authorities as the biggest Ukrainian drone strike to date, coincided with the final day of Russia’s parliamentary elections.

Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, reported that Russian air defenses had intercepted more than 1,600 drones since Saturday, including 450 that were directed toward the capital. He said the operation was clearly intended to disrupt the elections, but the attackers failed to achieve their objective.

The drones struck the refinery’s perimeter and one struck a nearby apartment building, causing windows to shatter and doors to be blown open. A resident of the village of Sofyino described the scene: “Glass went flying, people started screaming and shouting. I turned around, and the entrance doors had already been blown out, debris everywhere.” The incident also led to the evacuation of 400 residents—including 70 children—from a 21‑storey apartment block in the Ramenskoye district.

While the mayor did not disclose specifics about the refinery damage, Interfax noted that the plant, which processed 11.6 million metric tons of crude in 2024 and produced 2.9 million tons of gasoline and 3.2 million tons of diesel, was affected. Ukrainian strikes have already curtailed a large portion of Russia’s refining capacity, creating shortages, higher fuel prices, and long queues at service stations across the country’s 11 time zones.

Ukraine has not issued a statement on the attack, and both sides continue to assert that civilian targets are not intended. The incident follows a U.S. announcement—made by President Donald Trump—claiming that the two sides had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure, a promise that has not yet been upheld.