Black smoke and flames engulfed parts of Moscow on Thursday after Ukraine launched another drone strike on an oil refinery in the Russian capital. The attack marked the second strike on the facility this week and highlighted the growing intensity of the conflict between the two countries. As videos of the blaze spread rapidly across social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky defended the operation and described it as a “justified response” to recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine Responds to Deadly Russian Air Raids
The latest Ukrainian strike came shortly after Russia carried out a series of air raids across Ukraine. Earlier this week, Russian forces launched a missile and drone barrage that killed at least 11 people. Among the targets was the Dormition Cathedral, a historic religious site within the UNESCO-listed Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery complex. Ukrainian officials said the assault was one of the most destructive attacks on Kyiv’s civilian and cultural infrastructure in recent months.
As a result, Ukraine intensified its efforts to target facilities linked to Russia’s military and energy sectors. Commenting on the operation, Zelensky wrote on X: “This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors’ work against facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine.”
Furthermore, Zelensky stressed that the war should end through dialogue rather than continued escalation. He urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to return to diplomacy and negotiations. At the same time, he acknowledged that the refinery strike was among Ukraine’s largest operations since Operation Spider Web.
Russia Claims Hundreds of Drones Were Shot Down
Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported a massive air defence operation across several regions. According to officials, Russian forces shot down at least 555 Ukrainian drones. In addition, air defence systems intercepted nearly 200 drones as they approached Moscow.
Consequently, authorities suspended flights at all four major airports in the capital—Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky. Russia’s transport ministry announced that the restrictions would remain in place until further notice as officials assessed the security situation.
Attack Takes Place Ahead of Putin’s ASEAN Summit
Notably, the drone strike occurred just hours before Putin was due to host leaders from Southeast Asian nations in the city of Kazan. Several ASEAN countries sent top-level representatives to the summit. Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore were represented by their prime ministers. Meanwhile, the Philippines sent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr..
During a formal reception for ASEAN leaders on Wednesday night, Putin emphasized Russia’s partnership with the regional bloc. He stated that Russia and ASEAN nations “jointly stand for forming a just world order, defend the principles of sovereign equality of states, (of) non-interference into internal affairs."
Russia Pushes for Stronger Regional Ties
The two-day summit comes at a crucial time for Moscow. As the war with Ukraine enters its fourth year, Russia continues to seek stronger economic cooperation and deeper regional partnerships.
At the same time, both Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange large-scale attacks while publicly calling for diplomatic solutions. Therefore, the latest refinery strike underscores both the ongoing military escalation and the continuing political efforts to shape the future of the conflict.