Specks of black oil have rained down on parts of Moscow following a major Ukrainian drone attack that struck an oil refinery, in what appears to be the largest aerial assault on the Russian capital since the full-scale war began. Close to 200 drones were reportedly fired towards the Russian capital, with columns of thick smoke billowing high into the sky.

Local governor Andrei Vorobyov stated that 17 people were wounded in the Moscow region. Residents in the south-east of the region told the BBC that a fine drizzle had coated their clothes with unpleasant black spots. However, Moscow authorities initially denied that any oil rain had been falling.

Despite official denials, the city's official Telegram channel issued a warning to residents in the affected district, advising them to keep their windows closed. It further recommended that families with children, the elderly, and individuals with asthma should urgently leave the area, indicating a potential environmental hazard.

Russia's defence ministry claimed nearly 1,000 drones and four Ukrainian cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed across the country within a 24-hour period. The attack also struck an oil depot in the southern Rostov region, resulting in one fatality.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky framed the drone strike as retaliation for a recent Russian attack on Kyiv, which severely damaged the Pechersk Lavra monastery. "We don't want this war and have never wanted it," Zelensky stated, adding, "But if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn too."

In response to the escalating attacks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that strikes on Ukraine would be "delivered on a mass scale," indicating a significant escalation in Russian military action.

The fire at the Kapotnya refinery in south-east Moscow was visible from the Moscow ringroad. This incident marked the third time the refinery has been hit in a month and the second time in a week, filling the sky with black smoke. Video footage captured a dramatic moment when the top of a large silo was blown off by an explosion, sending the roof of an oil storage tank airborne.

Further damage was reported as a nearby shopping centre caught fire, allegedly due to falling drone debris. Verified video evidence shows a drone crashing into the upper floors of a high-rise building, causing glass and debris to fall onto its facade and into the courtyard. Another verified video depicted a thick, dark, oily sheen covering the tarmac of a car.