Moscow repels dozens of Ukrainian drones in daytime attack, mayor says

Moscow came under attack by Ukrainian drones for the second day a row, with Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reporting 37 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) shot down by the city's air defense the afternoon of June 19.

The mayor's report comes a day after the largest Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian capital since the full-scale invasion, with damage to the Moscow Oil Refinery clouding much of the city in dark smoke.

The daytime drones were intercepted over the span of two hours between 12:10 p.m. and 2:12 p.m. local time, according to Sobyanin, who relayed the news of each downed drone on his Telegram account.

Footage uploaded on Telegram channels purportedly showed drones in the air above Moscow, but no hits on ground targets were reported.

The total number of drones launched by Ukraine remains unclear, as Russia only reports drones it says were intercepted. Sobyanin reported a total of 37 intercepted drones during the afternoon strike.

In comparison, during the dramatic attack on the previous day, Sobyanin reported 194 Ukrainian drones shot down over the capital and its outskirts, the largest reported Ukrainian attack on Moscow to date.

Ukraine does not typically disclose the number of drones used in strikes on Russia, but according to the Russian defense ministry's numbers, the figure now reaches the hundreds on a near-daily basis.

The Ukrainian government has referred to these attacks as "long-range sanctions" in response to Russia's mass missile strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine.

"This is an entirely justified response to Russian strikes on our cities and communities and another important result of our warriors' work against facilities that support Russia's war machine," Zelensky said after the June 18 attack on Moscow, adding that "it is time to end this war."

At least 17 people, including two children, were injured in Moscow Oblast in the attack, Russian authorities claimed.

The attack caused major disruptions to air travel, with state-owned airline Aeroflot and its subsidiary Rossiya canceling more than 170 flights to and from Moscow and delaying over 110 others, according to company statements.

Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike on the Moscow Oil Refinery, adding that at least five fires were recorded at the facility.

Preliminary data indicated that a combined oil processing unit, secondary refining units and a storage tank farm were burning, the General Staff said.

Industry sources told Reuters that the attack damaged the Euro+ combined oil refining unit, as well as secondary units, at the refinery.

Speaking to journalists on June 18, Zelensky warned that Ukraine would continue to respond if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to end the war.