Kyiv [Ukraine], June 20: A major Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow set an oil refinery on fire, Russian officials said early on Thursday.
Air defences in the Russian capital intercepted around 180 drones, moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
"Several drones managed to reach the Moscow oil refinery," he said on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack on the refinery on social media. He described the strike as part of Ukraine's "long-range sanctions," writing that it was a just response to the constant Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and municipalities.
According to the independent Russian internet portal Astra, there were at least five fires at the refinery. Videos shared on social media showed a powerful explosion and several fires.
According to official reports, a residential building and a large garden centre in moscow were also hit.
A high-rise building in the surrounding region was also damaged, Governor Andrei Vorobyov said. There were initially no reports of injuries in Moscow or the surrounding area.
The oil refinery in south-eastern Moscow belongs to Gazprom Neft and is one of the largest facilities of its kind in Russia, with a processing capacity of 11 million metric tons a year. It covers a significant share of Moscow's fuel supply.
Source: Qatar Tribune
