Ukraine Hits Moscow in Largest Drone Attack, Testing Putin as Flights and Fuel Disruptions Spread
Updated
Updated · CBC Sports · Jun 27
Ukraine Hits Moscow in Largest Drone Attack, Testing Putin as Flights and Fuel Disruptions Spread
3 articles · Updated · CBC Sports · Jun 27
Summary
Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled after Ukraine’s biggest drone assault on Moscow since 2022 set a major refinery ablaze and pushed the war visibly into the Russian capital.
The strikes also hit beyond Moscow—Ukraine said it struck a missile-parts plant in Voronezh, while drones cut power in Russian-held Crimea and triggered fuel restrictions there.
Russian state TV largely suppressed footage and residents reported no sirens, but images shared online and testimony from repeatedly hit towns pointed to rising fear and anger over a lack of protection.
Analysts say that anxiety could unsettle parts of Russia’s business and political elite, though pro-war nationalists criticizing Putin’s handling still largely back the invasion itself.
Putin’s grip on power remains uncertain: experts say domestic discontent may not translate into revolt and could instead prompt harsher repression or wider attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
With its oil and gold reserves under direct attack, is Russia’s “sanctions-proof” war economy finally starting to crack?
As drones bring fuel rationing to Moscow, can the Kremlin’s promise of a distant and affordable war survive?
Moscow Under Fire: June 2026 Ukrainian Drone Strikes and the Mounting Economic Crisis in Russia
Overview
In mid-June 2026, Ukraine escalated the conflict by launching a sustained drone campaign that directly targeted Moscow’s vital Kapotnya oil refinery, a facility supplying up to 40% of the city’s petrol and 50% of its diesel. The strikes, including two within two days, caused visible damage and black smoke, marking an unprecedented assault on the capital’s energy infrastructure. This campaign not only disrupted Moscow’s fuel supply but also brought the war’s impact closer to its residents, highlighting both Ukraine’s growing capabilities and the increasing vulnerability of Russia’s critical infrastructure.