At least eight people were killed after multiple Ukrainian explosive drone strikes hit Russia’s Moscow and Tambov regions, triggering major fires at several warehouses and sending thick black smoke into the sky for hours.
The attacks mark the latest escalation in Ukraine’s campaign of long-range drone strikes inside Russian territory.
Ukraine Expands Long-Range Drone Campaign
Ukraine has intensified attacks deep inside Russia in recent months, saying the operations are a response to Moscow’s continued missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities.
Kyiv has described the campaign as a long-range deterrence strategy.
Earlier operations primarily targeted Russia’s oil infrastructure, disrupting fuel supplies in one of the world’s largest energy producers.
Wildberries Warehouses Targeted
This time, Ukrainian drones struck two major warehouses belonging to **Wildberries**, Russia’s largest online retailer.
According to Russian officials:
Eight night-shift workers were killed.
* The warehouses were almost completely destroyed.
* Large fires burned for several hours before being brought under control.
Wildberries CEO “Tatyana Kim” described the attack as “a terrible night” for both the company and the country.
“This is a terrible night for our company and for our country. The pain is beyond words,” she said.
Heavy Damage Around Moscow
Residents reported seeing thick black smoke over Moscow throughout Saturday morning and into the afternoon.
In the “Tambov region”, located about “500 kilometers southeast of Moscow”, Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov said seven night-shift workers were killed after a logistics center came under drone attack.
In the Moscow region, Governor Andrei Vorobyov confirmed separate strikes on:
An oil depot.
Another Wildberries warehouse.
One injured victim later died in hospital.
Authorities also reported that a vacant kindergarten in Elektrostal was damaged, although no children or staff were present.
Casualties
According to Russian officials:
8 people were killed.
Around 60 others were injured and taken to hospitals.
Firefighters eventually brought the fires under control in both regions.
Hundreds of Drones Target Moscow
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that more than 370 Ukrainian drones were launched toward the Moscow region overnight.
He also stated that Russian air defenses intercepted approximately **1,892 Ukrainian drones** targeting Moscow between **July 11 and July 18**.
The latest attacks highlight Ukraine’s growing ability to strike strategic targets deep inside Russian territory, while demonstrating the increasing role of long-range drones in the ongoing conflict.
