Ukraine launches large-scale drone wave targeting Moscow, including an oil refinery, Russia says

Ukraine launched a new wave of drone attacks on Russia early Thursday, striking targets in and around Moscow that included an oil refinery, according to NPR World. The attack is described by the outlet as among the largest aimed at the Russian capital since the Kremlin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.

The report said the drone assault involved multiple locations, not limited to the refinery site, with Ukraine conducting what it characterized as a large-scale strike. Russian authorities have not been described in the provided material with additional operational details, including the number of drones, their flight paths, or the extent of damage at each site.

The attacks were launched at a time when Russia’s energy infrastructure has been a recurring focus of the war, and the inclusion of a refinery in Moscow underscores the continuing emphasis on industrial targets. The NPR account did not provide information on whether the refinery was operating normally or the specific facilities affected.

While the Kremlin’s broader wartime strategy has included expanding defenses against air attacks, the article framing points to the scale of Thursday’s wave as a notable escalation in terms of how frequently the capital has been hit over the course of the invasion. The report presented the timing as significant, linking it directly to the calendar of the war since February 2022.

For Moscow residents and workers, drone strikes can carry immediate public-safety consequences, including risks from debris, disruptions to transport and utilities, and emergency responses during the night or early morning hours. The provided information does not list casualties or injuries, and those details were not included.

The next steps are likely to involve Russian government assessments of damage and any reported actions taken to secure additional infrastructure, as well as continued reporting on whether Ukraine will sustain similar attack waves. For Ukraine, attacks on high-value industrial targets, particularly in the capital region, remain part of how it indicates operational reach.

Thursday’s reported strike also illustrates the broader challenge for civil preparedness during a sustained conflict, where industrial sites and urban areas may be targeted even when air defenses are in place. Further confirmed information from authorities would be needed to clarify the full scope of the attack and its impact on production and local services.