At least three people have been killed and five wounded in Ukrainian drone attacks on the Moscow region, amid a massive nighttime barrage over the Russian capital. Russian officials said 81 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down over Moscow, while further strikes hit a fuel depot in the Stavropol Krai, igniting a major fire.
Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the Moscow region, reported that in the settlement of Pionerskiy near Istra, three people died and three were injured directly by a drone impact. In the city of Solnechnogorsk, a drone struck a residential building, leaving two people wounded. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that 81 drones were intercepted and neutralized over the city overnight. According to the UNIAN news agency, several apartment blocks were damaged by falling drones and debris.
The Ukrainian military also targeted an industrial zone in the Stavropol Krai, located in the North Caucasus Federal District. Governor Vladimir Vladimirov stated that the attack set fire to tanks at an oil storage facility in Vyazniki, in the Sharapovsky area. Emergency services and firefighting crews are operating on site. No casualties have been reported so far. Vladimirov added that the drone threat persists across the region and urged residents to remain vigilant. Local residents shared footage of the blaze on social media.
Drone raids part of broader pressure campaign
The escalation comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky approved a 40-day “operation of influence” on June 25, aimed at compelling Russia to end the war. Ukrainian forces are systematically striking military targets as well as fuel and energy infrastructure, which hinders the Kremlin’s ability to fund its war effort. Commander Robert “Magyar” Brovdi of the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces reported that 16 power plants on the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula were attacked over a two-day period.
According to Reuters, intensified Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries have caused severe fuel shortages across almost all regions of the country. Peace negotiations brokered by the United States remain at an impasse.
Fuel depot blaze underscores vulnerability of Russian energy sector
The fire at the Stavropol oil depot highlights a recurring pattern in Ukraine’s strategy: targeting Russia’s energy network far from the front lines. The facility in Vyazniki is part of a logistics chain supplying fuel to military units. While local authorities claim no victims, the economic impact is growing. Similar attacks in previous months forced several refineries to halt operations, leading to price spikes and rationing in some Russian regions.
– The drone threat persists across the whole region. Stay alert and cautious – said Vladimir Vladimirov, governor of Stavropol Krai. The incident was confirmed by a widely circulated video on social media, showing multiple explosions and towering flames at the depot.
The combination of high-precision strikes and cheap, mass-produced drones is proving difficult for Russian air defense to counter fully. Military analysts note that even a single drone penetrating defenses can cause significant damage to fuel storage sites, which are particularly vulnerable to fire.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Social media / X
