Key facts
- Ukraine conducted drone attacks on Moscow for a second consecutive day on June 19.
- 37 Ukrainian drones were reportedly shot down over Moscow on June 19.
- The Moscow Oil Refinery suspended operations indefinitely following damage from a June 18 drone attack.
- US senators proposed legislation to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's military purchases.
- Australia pledged $70 million in arms funding for Ukraine over the next 12 months.
- Western allies collectively pledged $4 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine targeted Moscow with drones for a second consecutive day on June 19, with Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reporting that 37 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defenses. This follows the largest drone attack on the Russian capital since the full-scale invasion began, which caused damage to the Moscow Oil Refinery and suspended its operations indefinitely.
The Moscow Oil Refinery, a significant supplier to the region's fuel market and a provider of aviation fuel, sustained damage to an oil processing unit and storage tanks in the overnight strike on June 18. The refinery accounts for approximately 40% of the Moscow fuel market and the majority of the region's gasoline.
In parallel, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the Seized Assets for Battlefield Equipment and Readiness (SABER) Act, proposing to use frozen Russian assets under U.S. control to purchase military equipment for Ukraine. This initiative builds on the REPO Act, which allows for the transfer of seized Russian sovereign assets.
Australia announced it would contribute 100 million AUD ($70 million) over the next 12 months to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative to fund U.S.-made weapons for Kyiv. Australian Defense Minister David Marles emphasized the importance of continued support for Ukraine.
Following a Ramstein-format meeting, Ukraine's Western allies collectively pledged $4 billion in military aid. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that the aid packages primarily consist of air defense missiles, drones, and artillery. Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden are among the key contributors, with significant funding allocated for Patriot air defense systems and drones.