Ukrainian drones strike Russian oil refinery southeast of Moscow

Ukrainian forces deployed nearly 200 drones in an attack on targets southeast of Moscow, striking an oil refinery and a shopping center, according to reports from the region.

Both facilities caught fire following the drone strikes. Moscow residents living in the affected area reported observing black rain falling after the attack, a phenomenon residents typically attribute to ash and residue from burning oil facilities.

The refinery, located in the southeastern region outside the capital, sustained damage in the assault. The shopping center also burned in the strikes.

The attack represents one of the largest Ukrainian drone operations directed at the Moscow region since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Ukraine has conducted periodic strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and military targets, though strikes near the capital remain less frequent than those in other parts of Russia.

Russian air defense systems typically operate in the Moscow region, though the volume of drones deployed in this operation exceeded the typical threshold of previous attacks.

Residents posted accounts on social media describing the dark substance falling from the sky during and after the strikes. Analysts have characterized such reports as consistent with combustion byproducts from burning petroleum facilities.