Moscow under siege as Ukraine launches more than 500 drones

WorldPolitics
18 Jun 2026 • 5:59 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Moscow under siege as Ukraine launches more than 500 drones

  • Russia reported a significant aerial assault from Ukraine overnight, claiming its air defences intercepted 555 Ukrainian drones across several regions.
  • Major Moscow airports suspended flights, and traffic was halted near an oil refinery following multiple drone strikes.
  • Online footage depicted large explosions at the refinery, with one incident showing an oil container lid being blown high into the air.
  • Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobhyanin, said that approximately 180 drones targeting the capital were successfully downed.
  • The attacks occurred after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held an "important" coordinating phone call with US president Donald Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron following the G7 summit.

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