Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow oil refinery in Kapotnya early on 18 June, sparking a large fire, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

The strike is the second to hit the same refinery within 48 hours: Ukrainian drones had already damaged the plant's ELOU-AVT-6 primary oil processing unit on 16 June 2026, forcing a temporary shutdown, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

What happened on 18 June

Residents of Moscow and the surrounding region reported a mass drone overflight on the morning of 18 June, according to monitoring Telegram channels. Russian authorities claimed 43 drones were shot down, but several reached their target, the outlet reported.

Videos circulated online showed multiple fires across the refinery grounds in Kapotnya, with thick black smoke columns visible from several districts of Moscow.

"Air defense forces continue repelling the massive attack. Several drones managed to reach the Moscow oil refinery. Measures are being taken to deal with the consequences," Sobyanin wrote at 6 am, according to his Telegram channel.

Why the refinery matters

The Kapotnya refinery sits about 15 kilometers from the Kremlin and is a critical part of Moscow's fuel infrastructure. The plant covers about 40 percent of the Moscow region's gasoline needs and 50 percent of its diesel needs, and also supplies aviation fuel for military use.

The 16 June strike on the same facility had already disabled the ELOU-AVT-6 unit, one of the refinery's primary processing units, according to earlier reports. The 18 June strike marks the second time in three days that drones have penetrated air defenses to reach the plant.