Russia Redeploys 90 Air Defenses to Key Sites as Ukraine Drones Strike 1,500 Kilometers Deep
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 25
Russia Redeploys 90 Air Defenses to Key Sites as Ukraine Drones Strike 1,500 Kilometers Deep
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 25
Summary
Russia has shifted a significant share of its air defenses toward Moscow, Valdai and the Kerch Bridge after Ukrainian drones kept hitting targets deep inside Russian territory, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Two oil refineries in Ufa — 1,500 kilometers from the front — and an oil depot in Krasnodar were struck overnight, part of a campaign Kyiv says has caused fuel shortages and disrupted Russian military supply lines.
Hundreds of launchers are now concentrated around the Moscow region and nearly 90 were moved to Valdai, Zelenskyy said, arguing the redeployment leaves other Russian regions more exposed to long-range drone attacks.
Russia said it shot down 269 Ukrainian drones overnight, while its own forces launched a ballistic missile and 90 long-range drones at Ukraine; one strike hit a Sumy gas station and injured four people.
Alongside the drone war, Zelenskyy said Belarus has switched off relay equipment Kyiv linked to Russian attacks, even as Ukraine strengthens its northern border and orders evacuations in parts of Chernihiv.
With air defenses now guarding Moscow, are other parts of Russia left undefended against Ukraine's long-range drones?
Can Ukraine's 'logistical lockdown' strategy cripple Russia's war machine before its own resources are exhausted?
Is Belarus truly pivoting away from Russia, or is its leader just playing a double game to survive?
June 2026: Ukraine’s Deep Drone Strikes Hit Moscow, Reshape Russia’s Defenses and Global Warfare
Overview
In June 2026, Ukraine demonstrated its growing military confidence and advanced drone capabilities by launching a major strike on Gazprom's Moscow Refinery, causing a massive explosion and black smoke over the city. This attack, which blew the lid off a storage tank, was part of Ukraine's ongoing strategy to target Russia's critical energy infrastructure and cut its energy revenues. The strike was seen as a turning point in the conflict, highlighting Ukraine's ability to hit Russia where it is most vulnerable and signaling a significant escalation in the use of unmanned systems in modern warfare.