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It was the largest drone attack on Moscow in two years, Russian media say

Fire at the Moscow Oil Refinery, June 18, 2026
Fire at the Moscow Oil Refinery, June 18, 2026Screenshot / social media

Russian air defence downed 194 drones on their approach to Moscow on Thursday, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Russian media RIA Novosti reports.

RIA calls this the largest attack on the Russian capital in the past two years. The previous major attack involving 81 drones was on May 17 this year, and on June 11, the number of downed UAVs reached 78.

The commander of the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), Robert Brovdi (Madyar), said that the attack on Moscow was carried out by USF, Special Operations Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Defence Intelligence units.

“Moscow will be put on its back. And not on the beach in Crimea. The Kremlin realises this: the number of their untouchable or inaccessible zones is decreasing,” he wrote.

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the attacks on:

  • the Moscow Oil Refinery (repeated attack). At least 5 refinery locations were set ablaze. According to preliminary geolocation analysis, the combined oil refining unit, secondary processing units and tank farm are on fire;
  • the Gukovo oil depot in the Rostov region was attacked directly and set ablaze. The oil depot is used for storage and transhipment of fuel and lubricants that ensure the functioning of Russia’s military and transport infrastructure;
  • crucial logistics routes for Russian troops: a road bridge over the Kalka River near the settlement of Hranitne in the Donetsk region; a railway bridge over the North Crimean Canal near Rozdolne in Crimea.
  • Russia’s command post near Soledar in the Donetsk region;
  • fuel and lubricants warehouses in Mariupol and Piatypillia (Donetsk region), and a warehouse near Boikivske in the Donetsk region.

Additional reconnaissance of previously attacked sites also confirmed other results:

  • the attack on June 14, 2026, on the Palkino oil pumping station in Russia’s Yaroslavl region destroyed seven tanks with a total volume of 95 thousand m³;
  • the attack on June 13, 2026, on the Kotovsky oil processing and pumping facility in the Volgograd region damaged three RVS-2000 tanks and a section of the oil pipeline;
  • the attack on June 13, 2026, on the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal near Volna settlement in Krasnodar Krai damaged five vertical tanks of the RVSP-30000 type.