Ukraine blows roof off Moscow oil refinery in one of biggest attacks on Russian soil for years

Ukraine today carried out one of the biggest attacks on Russia since the start of the war, blowing the roof off of an oil refinery and triggering chaos at the nation's busiest airport.

Towering plumes of dark smoke rose above southern Moscow this morning, as flames engulfed the targeted facility in the Kapotnya district, with reports of "oil rain" over the Russian capital.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed on Telegram "several drones managed to reach the MNPZ (Moscow Oil Refinery)", with no details on the extent of the damage.

Sheremetyevo Airport was forced to relocate passengers to secure areas during the bombardment, with all Moscow airports remaining closed for several hours, causing severe flight disruptions.

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Mayor Sobyanin claimed more than 500 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across the country overnight, with Moscow's air defences alone downing 180 unmanned aircraft approaching the capital.

Beyond the hit refinery, a drone also struck a residential block in the Zhukovsky district, with footage circulating online showing smoke billowing from upper floors.

Falling debris also ignited a blaze at a shopping centre on the outskirts of the capital, prompting authorities to seal off nearby roads.

What is being described as "oil rain" has showered down in the aftermath of the strike, with reports of black streaks on windowsills, cars, benches, and other surfaces – originally thought to be “ordinary soot”.

The strikes extended to southern Russia, where a separate drone attack on the Rostov region killed one person and wounded at least two others, according to Moscow region governor Andrey Vorobyov.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the operation on social media, describing it as a "fully justified response" to Russian aggression against his country.

He wrote: "It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy", describing strikes as Kyiv's "long-range sanctions."

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At the time of the attack, President Vladimir Putin welcomed Southeast Asian leaders to an ASEAN summit in Kazan, some 430 miles east of Moscow.

In the aftermath, Putin appeared in photographs alongside other heads of state and made no reference to the strikes during his opening address.

Today's attack marked the second time this month that Ukraine has launched a major strike during an international gathering, following an assault on Saint Petersburg at the outset of Putin's flagship economic forum.

Russia responded with its own barrage, launching more than 200 drones and ballistic missiles at Ukraine between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, according to Ukrainian air force reports.

At the G7 summit in France earlier this week, Donald Trump urged Moscow to "make a deal" to conclude the four-year conflict, noting Russian territorial gains have slowed.

Mr Putin has consistently rejected direct negotiations with Mr Zelensky, intending to seize Ukraine's eastern Donbas region through military force.

The conflict, which began with Russia's 2022 offensive, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and stands as Europe's most devastating war since the Second World War.

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