Ukraine hits Russian oil depot, logistics facilities in Moscow Oblast, 6 Black Sea vessels, Zelensky confirms

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Ukrainian forces struck an oil depot and logistics facilities in Russia's Moscow Oblast, as well as six Russian vessels in the Black Sea, in an overnight attack on July 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on X.

"We are responding, justly, to every Russian strike against our cities and communities," Zelesky said. "This war must be brought to an end, and that is only possible by increasing the pressure on the sole cause of this war – Russia."

The six vessels hit included two tankers and four dry cargo ships, according to the president.

Zelensky did not specify the locations of the oil depot and logistics facilities that were struck but said the attacks took place more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Photos and videos posted to social media purport to show thick black smoke rising over the city of Podolsk, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the Kremlin, following a strike on an oil depot.

Another fire was also reported a warehouse belonging to the major Russian online retailer "Wildberries." Monitoring channels reported one of the company's fulfilment centers was struck in the town of Kolyedino, just south of Podolsk.

Elsewhere in the region, a fire was reported at a residential building in the city of Domodedovo following a purported drone strike. While in the community of Belye Stolby, warehouses were destroyed at the Yuzhnye Vorota logistics park.

Amid the reported attack on Russia's capital region, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed that over 400 Ukrainian drones were launched towards the Russian capital region, with 85 drones downed while approaching the capital. Videos posted by local residents appear to show long-range strike drones flying over the region.

The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports.

The attack comes two days after Ukraine's military launched a separate attack on Moscow Oblast, striking a Russian logistics center, as well as an oil depot in the region.

In his report on the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky did not specify whether the Wildberries warehouse stored equipment intended for the Russian military. But in a video address following the attack, he said the warehouses targeted in the overnight operation were linked to the military.

Ukraine has intensified its long-range strike campaign against military, industrial, and energy targets inside Russia in recent months, with drones repeatedly reaching Moscow and other regions hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

In response, Russia has bolstered air defenses in the capital, deploying new Pantsir-SMD-E air defense systems on the rooftops of civilian buildings in Moscow.

Kyiv considers oil facilities to be valid military targets, as the energy sites provide fuel and funding for the Kremlin's war machine.

Ukraine has been waging an increasingly successful deep strike campaign against Russian oil infrastructure, striking oil depots, disrupting production at major facilities, and in some cases halting operations indefinitely.

Reuters reported on June 24 that the Moscow Oil Refinery is unlikely to resume production this year after suffering extensive damage in recent Ukrainian drone attacks.

Ukraine's attacks on oil infrastructure have mounted pressure on the Kremlin by aggravating a domestic fuel supply crisis that has already caused export bans, price hikes, and sales restrictions across Russia. Residents of various Russian regions continue to report hours-long wait times at service stations.