Black oil don rain down for part of Moscow after Ukrainian drone attack hit one refinery. Almost 200 drones fire towards Russian capital, wey be the biggest attack since war start.
Columns of thick smoke rise high for sky, and 17 people wound for Moscow region, according to local governor Andrei Vorobyov. Residents for south-east Moscow region tell BBC say fine drizzle leave ‘unpleasant black spots’ for dia clothes.
Moscow authorities deny say any ‘oil rain’ dey fall. But city official Telegram channel warn residents for affected district to keep dia windows close, and say families with children, elderly people and asthmatics must urgently leave area.
Russia defence ministry say almost 1,000 drones and four Ukrainian cruise missiles intercept and destroy across country for 24 hours. One oil depot also strike for southern Rostov region, where one person kill.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky say drone strike na answer to last week Russian attack on Kyiv, wey set ablaze major religious landmark, Pechersk Lavra monastery. ‘We don’t want this war and never wanted it,’ Zelensky say. ‘But if Ukraine burn, your Moscow go burn too.’
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov respond say strikes on Ukraine go deliver ‘on mass scale,’ and add say ‘words no enough.’
Fires break out as Kapotnya refinery for south-east Moscow hit for third time for one month and second time this week, colouring sky black with smoke. Several clips show dramatic moment as top of large silo blow off by huge explosion, wey send roof of oil storage tank flying dozens of metres for air.
Nearby shopping centre also catch fire, reportedly after drone debris fall on building. For video verify by BBC, drone crash into upper floors of high-rise building, with glass and debris rain down facade and for courtyard beneath.
For another video, thick, dark, oily sheen coat tarmac of car park, while ground beneath parked vehicles remain clear. One local woman tell BBC: ‘As soon as I step out of my apartment building, there was fine, light drizzle.’ She notice ‘unpleasant black spots’ for her clothes and her friend jacket also ‘end up covered in black specks.’ She add: ‘We go now dey keep eye on whether our hair start to fall out because of petroleum products.’
Moscow four airports temporarily shut and more than 500 flights cancel or delay. Although local authorities across Russia ban publication of images of aftermath of drone strikes, dozens of videos post for social media wey dey show drones flying across sky for broad daylight and explosions over industrial areas for outskirts of Moscow.
Na regular Ukrainian tactic to launch large number of reconnaissance decoy drones to map out density of air defences and vulnerable areas, before main air strikes begin. Four and half years since Moscow launch full-scale invasion of Ukraine, war of attrition for front line for Ukraine dey grind on, out of sight for many for Russia.
Kyiv long-range strikes on targets across Russia, including Moscow and St Petersburg, indicate Zelensky aim of ‘bringing war home’ to ordinary Russians. One man wey dey live near refinery wey hit tell BBC say dem wake am when his building start ‘shaking’ at dawn, and for morning he smell burning and no fit breathe. ‘Everything dey very frightening,’ he say. ‘Before, I no too fear, but now e almost be panic.’
Drone attacks on Moscow, about 500km from Ukrainian border, don become more frequent as Kyiv develop long-range capabilities. Ukraine first successful drone strikes reach Russian capital for spring 2023, although dem be sporadic and rarely involve more than handful of drones. Since then, extensive air defences set up around Moscow, but number of drones wey Ukraine use for dia attacks also multiply and some penetrate those defences.
No air defence system fit ensure total protection against massive attacks of high-tech drones. Hit rate of those wey get through dey extremely low and dey fraught with risk of anti-missile debris wey crash to ground. But despite known difficulties for halting such large-scale attacks, Thursday drone barrage bound to raise questions about effectiveness of air defence systems surrounding key infrastructure for Moscow.
For its part, Russia launch more than 200 drones and multiple ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv say. Vladimir Putin, wey dey host southeast Asian leaders for summit for central city of Kazan, don’t comment on large-scale attack on Russian capital.
Writing for X, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha say: ‘One of most popular questions wey Muscovites dey ask this morning na “Wetin dey happen?” I fit answer. Your country start war of aggression against ours. For years, e don kill our people. Now wey you know wetin dey happen, ask Putin when he plan to end am.’
