Ukraine Launches Major Drone Offensive, Strikes Oil Refinery and Targets Moscow

Ukrainian officials report a wave of drone strikes aimed at key locations within Russia, including an oil refinery in Ryazan and a missile component plant in Bryansk, amidst escalating tensions and retaliatory actions between the two nations.

Ukraine has reportedly launched a major drone assault against Russian military infrastructure, marking one of the most extensive operations since the onset of the conflict. The offensive, which involved a deployment of at least 100 drones, was aimed at various targets, including an oil refinery in the Ryazan region and the Kremniy plant in Bryansk, known for producing missile components.

Video footage verified by the BBC captures a dramatic fireball erupting from the Ryazan oil facility, confirming Ukrainian claims of the strike. Ukrainian defense officials have stated that the refinery was a priority target in their offensive against Russia.

In response to the onslaught, the Russian military claimed to have intercepted 121 drones aimed at 13 regional targets, including the heavily populated Moscow area. However, Russian officials reported no significant damage resulting from the strikes.

In a separate incident, Kyiv authorities reported casualties from a Russian drone attack that struck a residential building in Hlevakha, resulting in three confirmed deaths and one injury.

The Kremniy plant in Bryansk, also under attack, stated that operations had to be paused as emergency services responded to the incident. Governor Pavel Malkov confirmed that measures were in place to manage the fallout from the drone strike.

Despite the mayhem, the Kremlin reiterated its stance by acknowledging the drone attacks but refraining from confirming losses or heightened impacts. Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, reported the city's air defenses successfully intercepted drones at various loci, including Kolomna and Ramenskoye, alleging no inflicted damage.

In the aftermath of drone-related disruptions, media sources noted that Moscow airports Vnukovo and Domodedovo resumed operations after briefly halting flights. Meanwhile, in Kursk, Mayor Igor Kutsak reported infrastructural damage to power lines due to nighttime assaults, resulting in electricity outages.

Ukrainian air defense systems claimed to have thwarted a significant number of the 58 drones deployed by Russia overnight, but the violence on both sides underscores a troubling trajectory as the conflict shows no signs of abating.