Nearly 600 Drones Swarm Moscow Region in Largest Strike Yet on Russia’s War Industry

Russia faced one of the largest drone attacks of the war overnight on May 17, as hundreds of strike drones targeted military-industrial and fuel infrastructure in Moscow and several other Russian regions.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, cited by Russian state media on May 17, Russian air defenses intercepted 556 drones overnight across multiple regions, including Moscow region.

Several facilities linked to Russia’s defense industry, fuel logistics, and microelectronics sector were reportedly struck during the attack.

According to the Russian Telegram channel Astra on May 17, strike drones hit the “Elma-Zelenograd” scientific and industrial complex in Zelenograd, triggering a fire on the territory of the facility. Videos and photographs circulating online showed flames and thick black smoke rising from the site after residents reported hearing explosions overnight.

Zelenograd is located approximately 30–37 kilometers northwest of central Moscow and is considered one of Russia’s primary centers for electronics and microelectronics production.

According to Astra, the fire area was geolocated near coordinates 55.981885, 37.218559. The outlet reported that the “Elma” technopark hosts more than 150 resident companies involved in electronics manufacturing, optical systems, sensors, measuring instruments, and dual-use technologies.

Enterprises operating within the technopark are integrated into supply chains supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex.

Russian Telegram channels and OSINT groups also reported strikes on the “Angstrem” enterprise in Zelenograd, which manufactures microelectronics, semiconductors, and microprocessors.

In Moscow region’s Dubna district, drones reportedly targeted the Raduga Machine-Building Design Bureau (MKB Raduga), a Russian defense enterprise known for developing cruise missiles and other missile systems.

Additional strikes were reported against infrastructure connected to Russia’s state pipeline operator Transneft, as well as the “Solnechnogorskaya” fuel transfer station in the village of Durikino northwest of Moscow.

According to Astra on May 17, one of the fuel reservoirs at the facility caught fire after the strike. Satellite imagery and publicly available mapping data indicate the station is connected to the Moscow Ring oil product pipeline network supplying fuel across the capital region.

Russian authorities additionally reported disruptions at Sheremetyevo Airport during the attack. OSINT channels also reported a large fire at Belbek airbase in temporarily occupied Crimea overnight, although Russian officials did not publicly comment on the reported strike.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed that drones targeted infrastructure facilities in the region overnight. He claimed that Russia’s air defenses intercepted more than 120 drones over the past 24 hours.

Sobyanin also stated that a drone struck near an entrance area of the Moscow oil refinery, injuring construction workers. He claimed the refinery’s “technological process” was not disrupted.

Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi, known by the callsign “Madyar,” later published footage reportedly showing some of the drones involved in the attack.

Following the strikes, Ukrainian public figures also commented on the scale of the operation. Ukrainian Defense Ministry advisor Serhii Sternenko stated that “further attacks will be even larger and Moscow itself will also be targeted.”

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s recent long-range strike campaign against Russian military and energy infrastructure is still ongoing, warning that additional operations are expected.

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