Ukrainian forces strike Moscow oil refinery; Russia withholds air-raid warnings during State Duma vote, ISW says
On 20 September, Ukrainian defense forces carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack on Moscow and Moscow Oblast, hitting the Gazpromneft-Moscow refinery in Kapotnya. Russian authorities did not activate air-raid sirens in Moscow Oblast or send SMS warnings, and restricted mobile communications during the attack. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that the omission was intended to preserve voter turnout at that day's State Duma elections.
Key points
- Ukrainian forces carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack on Moscow and Moscow Oblast on 20 September 2025
- The Gazpromneft-Moscow refinery (Moscow NPZ) in the Kapotnya district was struck, with fires reported by OSINT analysts
- Ukrainian General Staff reported hits on the AVT-6 primary processing unit, a complex processing unit and an isomerization unit at the refinery
- The Moscow NPZ has a capacity of about 12 million tonnes of oil per year and produces gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel and fuel oil
- Ukrainian company Fire Point said FP-1 drones were used; footage of FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile launches during the night was posted on Telegram
- Russian authorities did not activate air-raid sirens in Moscow Oblast or send SMS warnings, and restricted mobile communications during the attack
- ISW assessed that Russian authorities prioritized State Duma election turnout over public safety and noted Ukrainian forces did not deliberately target polling stations
Why it matters
The strike demonstrated that Ukrainian long-range weapons can reach one of Russia's largest oil refineries inside Moscow. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian authorities suppressed air-raid warnings and restricted mobile communications during the attack to preserve the appearance of normalcy on State Duma election day, prioritizing turnout over civilian safety. The episode has drawn criticism even from a pro-Kremlin 'war correspondent,' who said the official response undermines public trust in the country's leadership.
What happened
On the night of 20 September 2025, Ukrainian defense forces launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Moscow and Moscow Oblast. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the attack hit the Gazpromneft-Moscow refinery (Moscow NPZ) in Moscow's Kapotnya district, striking the AVT-6 primary processing unit, a complex processing unit and an isomerization unit. Ukrainian defense company Fire Point said the refinery was hit by FP-1 drones, and footage of FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile launches during the same night was posted on Telegram. OSINT analysis by Astra reported that the Moscow Oil Refinery caught fire as a result of the attack. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that several drones reached the territory of the Moscow Oil Refinery and claimed the 'most massive' drone attack on Moscow had been repelled, with more than 1,600 drones allegedly destroyed, including 450 on approach to the capital. During the attack, Russian authorities in Moscow Oblast did not activate air-raid sirens or send SMS warnings to civilians, and mobile communications were restricted. Residents complained in the Telegram channel of Moscow Oblast Governor Andrey Vorobyov about the lack of warnings before comments were closed there.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
The two Ukrainian-language sources frame the story around the Institute for the Study of War's interpretation that Russian authorities deliberately withheld warnings to protect turnout at the State Duma 'elections' (placed in scare quotes), portraying the omission as politically motivated and harmful to public safety. Coverage emphasizes the Ukrainian military achievement, citing confirmation from the General Staff of hits on specific processing units at the Moscow NPZ and identifying FP-1 drones and FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles as the weapons used.
Where reporting differs
Moscow Mayor Sobyanin claimed the attack was fully repelled with more than 1,600 drones destroyed, while OSINT analysis by Astra and Ukrainian General Staff reporting indicate that drones reached and set fire to the Moscow Oil Refinery.
Background
The Gazpromneft-Moscow NPZ has a capacity of roughly 12 million tonnes of oil per year and produces gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, fuel oil and other petroleum products. 20 September 2025 was the date of Russian State Duma elections. Ukrainian company Fire Point said it supplied FP-1 drones used in the attack, and footage of FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile launches during the same night was posted on Telegram.