“Mr. Drone, I take my hat off”: memes flooded the network after the attack on Moscow

On the night of June 18, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck a number of strategic targets in Russia. Moscow, as well as the Rostov and Belgorod regions, were under attack.

This is reported by Russian officials, monitoring channels, and local publications.

The most sensational news on the Internet was the attack on the Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotny district. Local residents claimed to have seen drones over the Russian capital. In addition, social media was flooded with footage of thick black smoke rising above the plant.

Against the backdrop of these events, social media users have begun to create memes and photobombs on a massive scale, dedicated to the attacks on Russian facilities. The humorous images play on footage of fires, explosions, and drone operations.

In particular, a meme with a cloud of smoke above a burning object that “takes off its hat” with the words: “Mr. drone, I take off my hat” has become popular. Users jokingly called drones “a new element that is increasingly visiting Russian strategic enterprises.”

Collages of historical events are also being shared online. One of them combines images of Napoleon, the fire of Moscow in 1812, a still from a film, and a photo of a large-scale smoke plume after a strike on a Russian facility. The meme’s authors ironically draw parallels between Russia’s historical losses and modern attacks on its infrastructure.

Some users are posting photo-snaps with references to the Russian air defense system and statements by officials about the alleged successful shooting down of all targets. In the comments, they joke that the black smoke above the enterprises has become “the new symbol of Russian air defense.”

The memes quickly spread on Telegram, X, and other social networks, becoming one of the most discussed topics after the first reports of attacks on Russian regions appeared.

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