Ukraine carried out one of its biggest drone assaults on Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, hitting a major oil refinery in the Russian capital and sending heavy black smoke across parts of the city, according to Russian officials and multiple reports.
The overnight strike targeted the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, a critical fuel facility for the capital region. It was the second reported attack on the site in just three days. Videos shared online appeared to show large flames and thick smoke billowing from the refinery, while Russian officials said air defenses were working to intercept successive waves of drones.
The attack highlighted what appears to be a new stage in the war, as Ukraine demonstrates a growing ability to strike valuable targets deep inside Russian territory. At the same time, Moscow has faced increasing difficulty in stopping drones from reaching sites near the capital that carry both political and economic significance.
Kyiv has presented these long-range strikes as proof that it is shifting momentum in the conflict. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered that message this week to President Donald Trump and other G7 leaders during a summit in France.
Images and footage from Moscow showed smoke and flames rising over the city on June 18, 2026, after the drone attack hit the Kapotnya refinery and other targets in the capital, according to East2West.
