Ukraine introduced a big drone assault on Moscow on Thursday, hitting the Russian capital’s oil refinery for the second one time this week in what Kyiv solid as a reaction to an assault that broken a just about 1,000-year-old monastery within the town.
“We don’t want this war, we never did, and everyone knows it, and our partners know it,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a voice message despatched to newshounds on a WhatsApp staff. “But if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn.”
Russia, for its section, fired missiles into Kyiv, additionally for the second one time this week, following the assault that broken the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery and drew global condemnation. Russia denied hanging it.
In Moscow, Reuters noticed flames and plumes of smoke over the densely populated southeastern district of Kapotnya, the place the refinery supplying the capital is positioned.
In keeping with the Kyiv Publish, the power provides just about 40% of the Moscow area’s petrol and 50% of its diesel gasoline.
Smoke rises from an oil refinery following a Ukrainian drone assault during Russia-Ukraine struggle, in Moscow, Russia, June 18, 2026, on this image bought from social media. (credit score: Social Media/by way of REUTERS)Russia’s Lavrov says Moscow will level ‘huge, common’ moves on Ukraine
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated a number of drones reached the refinery, including that a shopping mall additionally sustained minor injury.
Zelensky showed the assault at the refinery. Ukraine’s army stated that Ukrainian forces additionally hit an oil depot in Russia’s southern Rostov area and every other two bridges as Kyiv intensifies its marketing campaign to impede Russia’s logistics.
In line with the assaults, Russia will perform “massive coordinated strikes on a regular basis” towards Ukraine, International Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Thursday.
Greater than 4 years since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has an increasing number of been concentrated on Russia’s power infrastructure with long-range drone moves, whilst Russia has endured firing missiles at Ukrainian towns.
Zelensky pushes for face-to-face talks with Putin
After years when Russian forces made sluggish however relentless features at the battlefield, Kyiv says its advanced drone features are moving the conflict’s momentum in its prefer, offering new impetus for Moscow to agree a peace deal.
Zelensky has introduced a diplomatic push to extend drive on Russia to barter an finish to the conflict.
“One of the most popular questions asked by Muscovites this morning is ‘What is going on?’ I can answer. Your country started a war of aggression against ours. For years, it has been killing our people. Now that you know what’s going on, ask Putin when he is planning to end it,” Ukraine’s International Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X.
Moscow, which says Ukraine is shedding, has demanded Kyiv cede its territory ahead of it is going to speak about peace.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Ukraine’s newest assaults on Russia are delaying the possibility of direct touch between President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, Interfax reported.
Zelensky referred to as the assaults on Russia a “totally fair response to Russian strikes on our cities and communities and another important result of the work of our soldiers on facilities that provide support for the Russian war machine.”
A drone strike on Tuesday on Moscow’s refinery had already halted operations there, resources stated, including to popular injury to Russian power amenities.
Russia, the sector’s third-biggest oil manufacturer and a big oil and gasoline exporter, is ready to import gasoline through sea this month because it seeks to control a fuel scarcity following Ukrainian drone assaults on refineries, in line with trade resources.
What took place in Ukraine’s assault on Russia?
Within the surrounding Moscow area, a high-rise residential construction, an business facility, and quite a lot of non-public homes had been broken within the drone assault, which additionally injured 16 folks, the regional governor stated.
Flights had been suspended in any respect Moscow airports, and visitors was once close down at the freeway across the capital close to the refinery. Sheremetyevo airport, Moscow’s busiest, stated it have been evacuated.
In different places in Russia, officers stated a Ukrainian drone strike killed a person in his automotive within the Belgorod border area, and a Ukrainian drone assault killed one particular person and led to a fireplace at two industrial amenities within the Rostov area.
In the meantime, explosions rang out in Kyiv, and airstrike indicators had been issued for many of Ukraine’s territory.
Tymur Tkachenko, the top of Kyiv’s army management, stated Russia was once attacking the capital with ballistic missiles. There have been no additional reviews from the government on injury or casualties within the town.
Government within the northeastern Ukrainian town of Sumy stated one particular person was once killed in a drone assault in a single day, whilst a person was once killed and an additional 11 folks had been injured in a Russian assault at the southeastern town of Dnipro early on Thursday, the regional governor stated.
