Ukraine Launches Record 194-Drone Raid on Moscow, Igniting Refinery and Shutting Down Red Square

Ukraine has launched the largest drone attack on Moscow since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, with a total of 194 drones reportedly shot down while approaching the Russian capital. The figure was released by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin at 9:27 a.m., making it the largest drone raid on the city since February 2022. One of the key targets was the Gazprom Neft-owned Moscow Oil Refinery (MNPZ) in Kapotnya, which had already been hit two days earlier and reportedly suspended operations. This latest strike triggered another major fire. Russia's interior ministry reported street closures around the Moscow refinery, while traffic was restricted along sections of the Moscow Ring Road. According to the local Telegram channel Cheka-OGPU, the Red Square was closed off to the public following the attack. "Red Square is closed. Machine gunners and sentries are on all the towers, walls, and the mausoleum. Armored vehicles and pickup trucks with weapons are on the bridges," the channel claimed. Russian state news agency TASS, citing officials, said fuel supplies to Moscow and gas station operations remained normal. The number of casualties in the Moscow region rose to 17 as of noon local time, according to regional governor Andrei Vorobyov. Following the strike on the refinery, residents reported what appeared to be "oil rain" over parts of Moscow and the surrounding region. According to Russia's defense ministry, air defense intercepted and destroyed a total of 555 Ukrainian drones overnight across 17 Russian regions, as well as occupied Crimea and the Sea of Azov. In the hours following the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin posed for photos with leaders attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kazan, located about 800 kilometers (497 miles) east of Moscow, and made no mention of the strike in his opening remark, according to AFP.