Ukraine Launches Massive Drone Attack on Moscow Oil Refinery

Ukraine launched hundreds of drones targeting more than a dozen Russian regions, including Moscow, where a strike hit an oil refinery and sent plumes of black smoke into the air, Kevin Shalvey reported for ABC News.

Ukrainian forces targeted the Moscow Oil Refinery, a large facility in the city's southeastern Kapotnya district operated by a subsidiary of state-owned energy giant Gazprom. (Photo: A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons)

Russia's Ministry of Defense said its air defenses destroyed approximately 555 drones during the early morning attack.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said around 180 drones were intercepted as they approached the Russian capital.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for the operation, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying it marked the second time within a week that Ukrainian forces had targeted the Moscow Oil Refinery, a large facility in the city's southeastern Kapotnya district operated by a subsidiary of state-owned energy giant Gazprom.

Video verified by ABC News showed explosions at the refinery.

"This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors' work against facilities that sustain Russia's war machine," Zelenskyy said on social media.

Russia also continued its nightly attacks on Ukraine, launching at least seven ballistic missiles and 239 drones overnight, according to Ukraine's General Staff.

Ukrainian officials said air defenses intercepted or otherwise neutralized at least 216 missiles and drones.

The strike ignited fires at the refinery and a nearby shopping center and was described by officials as one of the largest attacks of the war.

Analysts said the operation demonstrates Ukraine's efforts to bring the conflict closer to Moscow while testing Russian air defenses around strategic fuel infrastructure.