Ukrainian forces on Thursday launched massive drone strikes on Moscow for the second time this week, Russian officials said, as Kyiv continues to target Russian energy infrastructure. According to Moscow governor, several drones hit the Moscow oil refinery in the south-east district of Kapotnya. “Air defence forces continue to repel a massive attack,” he added.
Besides, an apartment building in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, was also hit by a drone. The strike damaged the building and some balconies, but there were no casualties. Drone debris also fell in several other locations outside the capital, officials said.
Further south, in Russia’s Rostov region, a separate drone attack on Thursday led to the killing of one civilian and left two others injured while causing damage to infrastructure.
Thursday’s strike comes two days after a similar drone attack “damaged a facility on the grounds” of the same refinery on Tuesday, Sobyanin said at the time. After Tuesday’s strike, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country’s military had used long-range weapons to hit facilities “500 kilometres away", framing Kyiv’s intensified attacks deep into Russian territory as a key strategy to force Moscow to end its war.
Ukraine has carried out extensive strikes on Russian refineries, civilian and industrial infrastructure in recent months, with targets including naval facilities. Some attacks have also taken place in the historically important city of Leningrad, where St Petersburg recently hosted a global economic forum often dubbed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s version of Davos. Russian side has vowed to respond to the attacks with widespread and devastating strikes on Kyiv in the coming days.