‘Oil rain’ falls on Moscow after drone strike on refinery
Sarah Hooper | METRO
Moscow is today shrouded in noxious black smoke causing oil rain to fall after a drone strike on a refinery.
The onslaught – thought to be Ukraine’s biggest attack on the Russian capital so far – caused significant damage across the city as air defences struggled to repel the drones.
State media claimed Russia had shot down 992 drones, four long-range cruise missiles and 10 aerial bombs in 24 hours.
Despite this, Moscow Oil Refinery was repeatedly hit with explosives.
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One resident said: ‘This is pure hell. I’ve never felt such terror.’
Another asked: ‘Why won’t this madman stop his crazy and pointless war and end the death and destruction?’
Despite several large fires and multiple explosions, Russia this afternoon insisted that the fuel supply situation was ‘proceeding as normal’.
Following the bombings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack was in retaliation to Russia damaging a historic monastery in Kyiv earlier this week.
He said: ‘We don’t want this war, we never did, and everyone knows it… but if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn.’
In reaction to the drone attack, a large-scale security operation was launched around the Kremlin.
Red Square has been sealed off and machine-gunners have been placed on the towers and Lenin’s Mausoleum.
Residential buildings and one of the city’s largest shopping centres have also been damaged. Some reports suggesting they were hit by intercepted drones.
Counter-attack electronic warfare and air defence missiles are being blamed for redirecting missiles that hit residential buildings and one of the city’s largest shopping centres.
Moscow’s main airports suspended all flights and traffic came to a standstill on the main ring road.
Today’s attack marks Ukraine’s success at turning the tables in Putin’s war.
The Russian president is failing to gain significant traction on the front line while losing ground in several areas.
Mr Zelensky said the war can stop if Putin engages in genuine peace talks, but says he has repeatedly refused to do so.
