Ukraine launched what appears to be its largest strike on Moscow yet, hitting a major oil refinery and sending large plumes of smoke over the Russian capital.
Kyiv said the attack was retaliation for Russian strikes that hit a historic monastery in the country, drawing condemnation from different parts of the world.
"This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors' work against facilities that sustain Russia's war machine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a social media post on Thursday.
"In recent days, all of our partners have noted the precision and effectiveness of our mid-range strikes and long-range sanctions. It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy," Zelensky added.
NBC News noted that the struck refinery, called Kapotnya, is located just 10 miles away from the kremlin.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said almost 200 drones were shot down overnight, but several reached the refinery. Russian state news agency Tass called it "the most massive drone attack on the Moscow region in two years." Its major airports were temporarily shut down "to ensure flight safety," the country's transportation ministry said.
Ukraine has been waging an increasingly effective campaign of strikes deep in Russian territory. In fact, a recent CBS News report detailed that Russia is facing a shortage of S-300 interceptor missiles, a Soviet-designed surface-to-air defense system that has long been a cornerstone of the country's layered air defense network
Ukrainian officials told CBS News that intelligence assessments indicate a "reduction in Russia's stockpile of S-300 surface-to-air missiles," although they did not disclose current inventory levels. Previous estimates cited by The New Voice of Ukraine suggested Russia possessed more than 400 interceptors for its S-300PM and S-400 systems in 2025.
Two Ukrainian officials told the outlet that Moscow has increasingly repurposed S-300 missiles for offensive operations against Ukraine. Originally designed to intercept aircraft and missiles, some of the weapons have been modified to function as surface-to-surface missiles, supplementing Russia's arsenal alongside systems such as the Iskander-M and Kinzhal ballistic missiles.
Another report claimed that Russia's long-standing strategy of leveraging its larger population and industrial capacity to outlast Ukraine may be facing new challenges as recruitment rates decline despite increasingly generous financial incentives for military service.
CNN noted that the Kremlin has largely relied on its demographic advantage to sustain a costly war of attrition against Ukraine.
However, as the conflict enters its fifth year, Russia's ability to replenish battlefield losses is becoming more difficult, even as the government offers unprecedented bonuses to attract recruits.
