In one of the largest drone operations since the war began, Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a major strike on a Russian oil refinery, involving at least 121 drones. The attack targeted Moscow and the Ryazan region, southeast of the Russian capital. A dramatic fireball was captured on video as flames engulfed the refinery and nearby pumping stations. These images were verified by the BBC, confirming the scale and location of the attack.
Russian officials stated that they had successfully intercepted all 121 drones targeting 13 different regions, including Ryazan and Moscow. Despite these claims, they reported no damage from the assault. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported that a separate Russian drone strike on the Kyiv region had caused casualties. Three people were killed and one was injured when a residential building was struck.
The strike on the Ryazan refinery was highlighted by Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s counter-disinformation center, who also mentioned that the Kremniy factory in Bryansk had been targeted. The factory, known for producing missile components and other military technology, was reportedly hit by six drones. On social media platforms like Telegram, local bloggers shared videos and images of large fires at the Ryazan facility, with some showing people fleeing the area as the explosion sent a massive fireball into the air.
Russian news outlets reported that the Kremniy factory suspended operations following the drone strike. Governor Pavel Malkov of the Bryansk region confirmed that emergency services were responding to the attack. Although the Kremlin acknowledged the drone strikes, it did not mention any damage or casualties. It claimed to have destroyed all 121 drones, including six over Moscow, 20 in Ryazan, and several others over the Bryansk region. Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, stated that air defences had successfully intercepted several drones, with no reported damage to the city.
The attacks have caused widespread disruptions. Russian authorities confirmed that two major Moscow airports, Vnukovo and Domodedovo, had temporarily suspended operations before resuming flights. Meanwhile, in the city of Kursk, power lines were damaged in overnight strikes, leaving one district without electricity. In Ukraine, Russian drone strikes have also taken a toll, with Ukrainian officials stating that their air defences destroyed 25 out of 58 drones launched by Russia overnight. Tragically, debris from one of these drones killed three people in the Kyiv region.
In addition to the escalation in the skies, Russia has intensified its crackdown on independent media. The Russian Ministry of Justice recently designated BBC Russian service reporter Olga Ivshina as a “foreign agent,” marking her as the fourth BBC journalist to receive this label since the invasion began in 2022. Journalists under this designation are required to label their content as originating from a foreign agent, and failure to comply may result in severe penalties, including imprisonment. The BBC has expressed strong opposition to this move, reaffirming its commitment to supporting independent journalism.
