Ukraine brings the war to Moscow as huge blasts shake refinery

Ukrainian drones hit a Moscow oil refinery for the second time in three days, sparking a large fire near the Russian capital.

Smoke rises from an oil refinery following a Ukrainian drone attack in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Moscow, Russia, Jun 18, 2026, in this picture obtained from social media. (Photo: REUTERS/Social media)

19 Jun 2026 12:38AM

(Updated: 19 Jun 2026 12:39AM)

MOSCOW: The blast was so powerful that the huge disc-shaped lid of an oil storage tank was launched into the sky over Moscow like a frisbee.Evading Russian air defences, Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in southeast Moscow on Thursday (Jun 18) for the second time in three days, igniting a fierce blaze that spewed out clouds of black smoke.The attacks are part of a wider Ukrainian campaign to cripple the oil industry whose revenues finance Russia's war effort.But by striking with apparent impunity at a piece of critical infrastructure located inside Moscow's ring road, just 16 km (10 miles) from the Kremlin, Ukraine is also sending a message to ordinary Russians.