At least eight people were killed and dozens injured after waves of Ukrainian drones struck major logistics facilities in Russia’s Moscow and Tambov regions on Saturday, triggering massive fires and causing widespread damage.
Russian authorities said the attacks targeted warehouses belonging to Wildberries, the country’s largest online retailer, with seven night-shift workers killed at a logistics centre in the Tambov region and another person dying in hospital after a separate strike in the Moscow region.
The attacks sparked large fires that sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky for hours. Firefighters continued battling the blaze at a warehouse in Elektrostal, near Moscow, while officials confirmed that the fire in Tambov had been extinguished.
Wildberries Chief Executive Officer Tatiana Kim described the incident as a national tragedy.
“A terrible night, terrible events for our company and for our country. It is a pain that cannot be put into words,” she said.
Regional authorities said nearly 60 people were injured in the attacks and taken to hospital. An empty kindergarten in Elektrostal was also damaged, although no casualties were reported.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 370 Ukrainian drones were launched toward the Moscow region overnight. He added that Russian air defences had intercepted nearly 1,900 drones heading for Moscow between July 11 and July 18.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the strikes, saying they were carried out in response to continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.
In a post on X, Zelensky said the targeted logistics centres were being used to supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment.
Kyiv has stepped up long-range drone attacks on Russian territory in recent months, describing the campaign as “long-range sanctions” in retaliation for years of Russian bombardment. The strikes have largely focused on Russia’s oil and logistics infrastructure, contributing to fuel shortages across much of the country.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes on Ukraine continued overnight, with authorities reporting that one person was killed and 13 others injured in attacks on the Black Sea port city of Odesa.
The conflict remains largely deadlocked along the front lines, while U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the war have stalled amid Washington’s growing focus on its conflict with Iran.
