Ukrainian Drones Breach Moscow’s Air Defenses to Strike Oil Depot 50 km From the Kremlin

Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov confirmed that the region came under a drone attack early on July 18. Russian Telegram channel ASTRA published footage showing a large fire and thick black smoke rising from the area following the strike, while multiple videos shared on social media appeared to show explosions at the facility.

The targeted oil depot reportedly operates 24 fuel storage tanks with a combined capacity of approximately 11,500 cubic meters. The facility is used for storing, transferring, and distributing gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene, serving fuel suppliers and traders across the Moscow region.

Additional footage circulating online showed fires at logistics facilities in the nearby city of Elektrostal. However, the full extent of the damage and the exact targets have not been independently verified.

The strike took place despite Russia maintaining one of its densest air defense networks around Moscow, including Pantsir-S1 and Tor short-range air defense systems, S-400 batteries, and mobile air defense units deployed to counter Ukrainian drones and cruise missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian long-range strikes had targeted “two significant logistics facilities” in the Moscow and Tambov regions, located more than 500 and nearly 700 kilometers from the front line.

The latest attack follows a series of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes against fuel infrastructure in the Moscow region. On June 16, Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, with another successful strike reported at the same facility several days later. Earlier this month, Ukrainian drones also reached the Gazprom Neft Omsk Refinery, Russia’s largest oil refinery, after flying more than 2,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

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