A fire broke out at an oil refinery in Moscow following a drone attack
On the night of June 18, Moscow and the Moscow Region came under a massive drone attack. Russian Telegram channels reported drones flying overhead, explosions, and fires in various parts of the Russian capital.
The first reports of the attack began to appear around 4:00 a.m.
Videos showing drones flying over Moscow and surrounding towns were circulating online.
Shortly thereafter, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that air defense systems were active and that aerial targets heading toward the Russian capital had allegedly been shot down. According to him, as of 5:43 a.m., 33 drones had been shot down.
At the same time, reports began appearing on social media about fires and plumes of smoke on the outskirts of Moscow. According to OSINT communities, one of the strikes hit the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district.
Following the attack, a large-scale fire broke out on the plant’s grounds, resulting in at least two storage tanks catching fire, according to preliminary reports.
Eyewitnesses also reported damage to buildings in various parts of the city.
Initially, the mayor of Moscow reported only that drone debris had fallen on the grounds of the Sadovod shopping center, where minor damage to one of the buildings was recorded.
However, he later officially confirmed an attack on an oil refinery.
“Air defense forces continue to repel a massive attack. Several drones managed to reach the Moscow Refinery. Measures are being taken to address the consequences,” Sobyanin wrote.
Information regarding the extent of damage at the Moscow Oil Refinery and potential losses is currently being verified. Russian authorities traditionally do not disclose details regarding the consequences of strikes on strategic facilities.
At the same time, the attack was one of the largest in recent memory, and the Moscow Oil Refinery is one of the key fuel infrastructure facilities in the Russian capital.
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