Moscow Oil Refinery Set Ablaze for Second Time in a Week Following Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack

The Moscow Oil Refinery in the southeastern Kapotnya district was hit by a “large-scale” Ukrainian drone attack on Thursday morning, marking the second time the critical energy installation has been set on fire this week. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that while Russian air defense units engaged a massive wave of incoming targets—claiming to have downed approximately 180 drones heading toward the capital—several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) successfully penetrated the defenses and struck the facility. Dramatic footage shared on social media by local residents depicted thick plumes of black smoke and flames billowing over the city’s skyline, with independent monitoring channels reporting at least five distinct fires breaking out across the refinery’s grounds.

The latest bombardment comes just 48 hours after a Tuesday drone strike on the same Gazprom Neft-owned refinery severely damaged its primary refining facility, which accounts for 53% of the plant’s capacity, forcing the complex to halt operations. As the largest fuel supplier to the Moscow region, the facility provides roughly 40% of the capital’s gasoline, 50% of its diesel, and critical aviation fuel to major hubs like Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo. The disruption triggered immediate transport chaos across the capital on Thursday; vehicle traffic was strictly restricted on the nearby Moscow Ring Road, and several major airports were forced to temporarily suspend flights, prompt evacuations, and issue strict ground delays.