Ukraine hit an oil refinery near Moscow and other targets in Russia overnight in what president Volodymyr Zelenskyy called “a justified response” to recent strikes on Ukraine. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
Russian officials were quoted as saying that the attack forced commercial flights and airports to be suspended for safety reasons and caused a temporary halt on Moscow’s ring road, after some 180 drones were shot down over the Russian capital.
“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,” Zelenskyy said.
Black smoke rises from the area of the Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft’s Moscow oil refinery on the south-eastern outskirts of Moscow. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
The strikes come on the day of a Nato ministerial meeting in Brussels, the last before next month’s summit in Ankara. Nato allies are expected to discuss the latest on their defence spending plans, with the US pressing Europe to take more responsibility for the defence of the continent.
United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (L) gives a statement as secretary general of Nato Mark Rutte (R) looks on prior to a Nato Defence Ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Omar Havana/Getty Images
Later on, the ministers will also take part in the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting, a key forum to coordinate on support for Ukraine, which is expected to be attended by Zelenskyy. The main event comes fairly late in the day, as EU leaders are expected to gather for the European Council meeting on Ukraine and the Middle East. It’s a two-day summit, likely to go late into the night.
It’s Thursday, 18 June 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.