MOSCOW, Russia- Ukrainian drones struck Moscow’s largest oil refinery during a major overnight attack that killed two people in the surrounding region and forced hundreds of residents from their homes, Russian authorities said.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said several drones reached the refinery’s premises on Sunday, September 20, sending plumes of smoke into the sky.
The extent of the damage to the facility was not immediately clear, and authorities did not say whether refining operations had been disrupted.
No casualties were reported at the refinery.
Reuters witnesses reported hearing explosions across Moscow and seeing smoke rising from the refinery complex. Reuters
The Moscow Oil Refinery processed 11.6 million metric tonnes of crude oil in 2024, producing about 2.9 million tonnes of petrol and 3.2 million tonnes of diesel, according to the latest available figures cited by Reuters.
The facility has been targeted in previous Ukrainian drone attacks.
Russia reports 1,600 drones intercepted
Sobyanin described the overnight assault as the largest drone attack launched against the Russian capital since the war began.
He said Russian air defences had intercepted more than 1,600 drones across different fronts since Saturday, including about 450 that were heading towards Moscow.
“The unprecedented attack was clearly planned with the aim of disrupting the elections,” Sobyanin said. “The adversary failed to achieve this.”
The attack occurred as Russia entered the final day of parliamentary elections.
Ukraine had not formally commented on the refinery strike by the time of publication. The Russian claims about the number of drones intercepted could not be independently verified.
Two killed, hundreds evacuated
Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov said two people were killed in separate incidents outside the capital.
In the Ramenskoye district, about 400 residents—including 70 children—were evacuated from a 21-storey apartment building after a drone explosion caused a fire.
Several homes were also damaged during the attack.
One drone struck an apartment in Moscow, according to Sobyanin, who said no one was injured in the city.
The Associated Press reported that at least 20 people were injured across the wider Moscow region during the assault.
The refinery strike came amid continuing attacks by Russia and Ukraine on each other’s energy infrastructure.
Both countries have said they do not deliberately target civilians.
