The Moscow region experienced a significant drone attack resulting in a fire at an oil refinery, prompting the evacuation of a maternity hospital and an apartment complex, as stated by the region’s Governor.
The assault, suspected to originate from Ukraine, caused numerous explosions and left 28 individuals injured.
Governor Andrey Vorobyov confirmed that 48 drones were downed in the region overnight, with the most severe impact seen in the Bogorodsky urban district, where a drone crash ignited a fire at an oil depot in Noginsk.
Mayor Sergey Sobyanin of Moscow reported that over 370 Ukrainian drones were launched towards the region, with 64 intercepted before reaching the Russian capital.
As a precautionary measure, a maternity hospital near the incident site was evacuated, relocating all patients and staff to alternative medical facilities. Women in need of specialized care were transferred to hospitals in Noginsk, Balashikha, and Shchelkovo, while residents of an apartment building on Radchenko Street were also evacuated.
Witnesses captured footage showing flames and explosions at the Noginsk oil depot, which houses 24 storage tanks with a total capacity of 11,500 cubic meters. Online videos depicted significant black smoke rising from the depot as flames engulfed the area.
The depot stands as a vital fuel storage and logistics center in the Moscow region, serving traders and fuel companies for storing and transporting petroleum products.
To manage the aftermath of the attack, Vorobyov deployed 40 ambulance crews and 12 teams from the regional disaster medicine center, with emergency services, police, and municipal workers actively involved in clearing the affected area.
The strike occurred following a reported targeting of another Wildberries fulfillment center in Russia’s Tambov region earlier that same night.