Russian Missile Blows Up Moscow Oil Tank During Drone Intercept, Knocking 140,000-Bpd Unit Offline
Updated
Updated · EUobserver · Jun 19
Russian Missile Blows Up Moscow Oil Tank During Drone Intercept, Knocking 140,000-Bpd Unit Offline
3 articles · Updated · EUobserver · Jun 19
Summary
New video shows a Russian surface-to-air missile, not a Ukrainian drone, struck and destroyed a large Moscow oil tank after missing its target during Thursday’s air raid.
The failed intercept came over an already burning refinery, where drones damaged a second refining unit and knocked the AVT-6 unit—rated at 140,000 barrels a day—out of operation for at least several days.
Footage suggests at least one, and possibly two, Russian missiles failed to hit a single slow-flying drone, turning the tank blast into a symbol of both Ukraine’s reach over Moscow and Russian air-defense failure.
The strike also sharpened hardline Russian rhetoric, with pro-war commentators and figures including Konstantin Malofeyev openly calling for harsher escalation, including nuclear use and tighter repression at home.
Beyond Moscow, Russian forces claimed gains at Rai-Oleksandrivka near Sloviansk, but analysts said control remained uncertain as fighting around Lyman stayed fluid and Ukrainian counterattacks threatened Russian positions.
With a third of its oil refining offline, can Russia's war economy survive Ukraine's drone onslaught?
As drones hit Moscow, will radical calls for nuclear use by Russian elites corner Putin?
June 2026 Ukrainian Drone Assaults on Moscow: Fuel Shortages, Black Rain, and the War’s New Frontline
Overview
On June 18, 2026, Ukraine launched a major drone attack on the Moscow Oil Refinery, marking a new escalation in its ongoing campaign against Russian energy infrastructure. This strike, following a similar attack just days earlier, caused significant damage and forced the refinery to suspend operations. The repeated drone assaults have led to fuel rationing and shortages across Russia, exposing vulnerabilities in its energy sector. Emergency services are still assessing the full impact, while the attacks have also triggered environmental concerns and disrupted daily life in Moscow. These events highlight Ukraine’s strategy to pressure Russia by targeting critical infrastructure.