Drone attacks reported in Moscow, Yaroslavl oil refinery and Rostov: fires break out – photos

Explosions have been heard in the Russian city of Yaroslavl, followed by a fire at an oil refinery. Moscow and Rostov-on-Don have also come under attack.

Source: Exilenova+ and other Telegram channels; Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin; Astra, a Russian media outlet; Rostov Oblast Governor Yuri Slyusar; Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti

Details: The first drones were detected on the evening of 7 May. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) later announced temporary flight restrictions at Moscow's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports. Sobyanin subsequently claimed that several drones had been downed.

Telegram channels also reported explosions in Yaroslavl. Early reports indicated that the Yaroslavnefteorgsintez oil refinery may have been targeted. A fire broke out on the plant's premises.

Videos circulating online showed thick smoke rising above the refinery.

Rostov-on-Don also came under attack. Early reports indicated that the Agropromzapchast plant may have been targeted in a possible missile strike.

Local residents reported hearing a series of explosions, after which a large fire broke out at the scene.

Update: Slyusar later stated that the region had "repelled a UAV and missile attack".

"No casualties have been recorded. However, sadly, there is damage on the ground. Debris from falling UAVs caused damage in the cities of Taganrog, Bataysk and Rostov-on-Don and the Myasnikovsky district," he said.

Sobyanin said in the morning that 26 drones had been intercepted overnight while approaching Moscow.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that a total of 264 UAVs had been downed over Russian regions. As usual, Russian authorities did not specify how many drones had not been intercepted.

Background:

• Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had violated the ceasefire introduced by Kyiv from the beginning of 6 May, adding that Ukraine would respond in kind.
• On 4 May, Zelenskyy announced the introduction of a ceasefire, set to begin at exactly 00:00 on 6 May. Russia did not respond to the proposal and continued military operations and strikes against Ukraine.
• Earlier that day, Russia's Ministry of Defence unilaterally declared a "truce" for 8 and 9 May and warned that if the Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May is "disrupted", it will launch a large-scale missile strike on central Kyiv. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May – ed.]

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