Moscow has once again come under a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack, with several drones reportedly reaching the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, according to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Russian media also reported damage to a building at the Sadovod shopping complex, which is associated with Azerbaijani-born businessmen God Nisanov and Zarakh Iliev.

“Air defence forces continue to repel a massive attack. Several drones managed to reach the Moscow Oil Refinery. Measures are being taken to eliminate the consequences,” Sobyanin said.

According to media reports, the damage at Sadovod may have been caused by falling drone debris. At the time of publication, there were no confirmed reports of casualties on the market’s territory. However, damage to one of Moscow’s largest shopping complexes has added not only an infrastructure dimension to the attack, but also a commercial one.

Sadovod is considered one of Moscow’s largest wholesale and retail markets. It has long been associated with the business empire of God Nisanov and Zarakh Iliev, Azerbaijani-born entrepreneurs known as key figures behind the Kievskaya Ploshchad group. The company is regarded as one of the largest players in Russia’s commercial real estate market. Its portfolio includes major Moscow assets such as the Sadovod market, the Food City agricultural cluster, the Evropeisky Shopping Mall, as well as hotel and logistics facilities.

The damage to Sadovod amid the attack on the Moscow Oil Refinery shows that the consequences of the war are increasingly affecting not only military or energy facilities but also major commercial sites in the Russian capital. Although the main strategic target of the attack, according to reports, appears to have been the oil refinery in Kapotnya, the episode involving the market highlights the vulnerability of Moscow’s civilian and business infrastructure.

Source: Reuters

The Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya is an important element of the capital’s fuel infrastructure. In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian energy facilities, describing such attacks as an effort to weaken Moscow’s economic and military capabilities. The latest attack once again showed that even facilities deep inside Russia and close to its political centre remain vulnerable to drones.

Amid the attack, Moscow residents also complained about the lack of timely public warnings. Readers of the Dozhd TV channel claimed that during the drone raid there was “no warning, no air raid siren, and no danger alert via SMS or loudspeakers.” These reports have not been independently confirmed, but they reflect growing dissatisfaction with how Russian authorities inform the public during large-scale drone attacks.

The attack also disrupted transport infrastructure. Russian authorities reported temporary restrictions at airports and said air defence systems had engaged targets in Moscow and the Moscow region. Despite claims that a significant number of drones were intercepted, the fact that some reached critical infrastructure has again raised questions about the effectiveness of Moscow’s air defence system.

For Ukraine, such strikes form part of a broader strategy aimed at bringing the consequences of the war closer to Russia’s political and economic centre. For Moscow, they are another signal that the war has long moved beyond front-line and border regions.

The incident is likely to intensify debate inside Russia over the protection of critical infrastructure, public warning systems, and the security of major commercial facilities. At the same time, it has again drawn attention to Sadovod and its ties to God Nisanov and Zarakh Iliev, whose business empire occupies a prominent position in Moscow’s commercial real estate market.