Elena Teslova
16 June 2026•Update: 16 June 2026
Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 172 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions of the country, as well as over the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
The attack included a large-scale drone raid targeting the Moscow region. According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, air defense forces have shot down 60 drones approaching the capital since the start of the day.
Based on official figures released by Sobyanin, the latest attack ranks among the largest drone assaults on Moscow this year.
The largest reported attack occurred on May 17, when Russian authorities said 81 drones headed for the capital were intercepted. Air defenses also reportedly destroyed 38 drones on May 16 and 61 on May 7.
Sobyanin said a facility at the Moscow Oil Refinery sustained damage during the ongoing attack. He did not immediately provide details on the extent of the damage or whether refinery operations had been affected.
In Russia's southern Krasnodar region, authorities reported a fire at an oil storage facility in the village of Poltavskaya after debris from a downed drone fell onto the site.
Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry also said a residential building in the city of Elektrostal, east of Moscow, was damaged during the attack.
There were no immediate reports of fatalities.
On Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attack on the oil refinery, calling it part of "long-range sanctions."
