Black smoke rises from the area of the Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft's Moscow oil refinery on the south-eastern outskirts of Moscow on June 18, 2026. Photo: AFP / Lehtikuva
International news
Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Moscow since Russia began its full-scale invasion more than four years ago, hitting a major oil refinery, disrupting air traffic across the capital and bringing the conflict deeper into Russian territory.
The overnight assault targeted Moscow and surrounding regions with close to 200 drones, according to Russian authorities. Fires broke out at the Kapotnya oil refinery in the south-east of the capital after several drones penetrated air defences and struck the site. Thick smoke rose above the city as emergency crews responded.
The refinery supplies about 40 per cent of Moscow's petrol and roughly half of its diesel fuel. According to Reuters, operations at the facility had already been halted following an earlier Ukrainian strike earlier in the week.
