Ukraine Strikes Moscow with Drones; Russia Vows 'Immediate Retaliation'

On the 18th local time, Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack targeting Russia's capital, Moscow. This attack on Moscow is analyzed as the largest in two years. Over the night of the 18th, 550 Ukrainian drones were shot down, with 200 of them reportedly targeting Moscow. A major fire broke out at an oil refinery near Moscow, damaging key Russian oil facilities. More than 500 flights were suspended at four locations, including Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, and the paralysis of key infrastructure 16km from the Kremlin was interpreted as a message to the Russian public.

As Ukraine escalates its attacks following confirmation of support from G7 leaders, the war is heading towards a crisis phase. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, "If Ukraine burns, your Moscow will also burn." The attack was also analyzed as an attempt to disrupt diplomatic efforts during international events such as the Russia-ASEAN summit.

Russia has warned of immediate retaliation for the attack. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov foreshadowed retaliation against Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, stating, "It is no coincidence that after the terrorist attack in Kyiv previously, the president announced that he would carry out regular large-scale group strikes."