Ukraine’s drone forces struck a Russian oil refinery near Moscow, setting off major fires and prompting warnings and retaliation statements from both sides as the war continues into its fifth year.

Images released by Russian media showed large flames and heavy smoke rising from the Moscow Oil Refinery, located only around nine miles from the Kremlin. The attack came after an earlier strike on the same refinery earlier in June that officials said was quickly put out.

Zelenskyy said the strike reflected a continued Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure—actions he characterized as cutting into the resources that support Russia’s war effort and applying pressure for peace. He also said it was time for the fighting to stop and urged Moscow to end the war and take necessary steps toward diplomacy.

The strike was part of a broader pattern of long-range Ukrainian drone activity aimed at Russian military industries and energy facilities, a strategy intended to disrupt supplies and revenue tied to the invasion.

Alongside the refinery incident, Russian officials said air defenses intercepted hundreds of drones overnight across multiple regions, including many aimed at the Moscow area. Ukrainian officials and observers have pointed to the increasing scale and effectiveness of Ukraine’s drone capabilities as a factor behind sustained pressure on Russian infrastructure.

The Kremlin and Russian officials portrayed Ukrainian attacks as attempts to destabilize or provoke pressure, with Russian leaders also claiming the strikes were ineffective at changing conditions at the front. Russia said it would strengthen protection of fuel and energy sites and improve output, while continuing the war.

Ukrainian and Russian officials exchanged blame for escalation, with each side presenting its own actions as either justified retaliation or pressure tactics meant to force negotiations—while the drones’ impact continued to reach deep into Russian territory, raising the stakes for both civilian areas and critical infrastructure.