Russia Says 620 Ukrainian Drones Flew at Moscow, the Second 600-Plus Night in Three Days
Ukraine is sustaining its deep-strike tempo against the capital while targeting the civilian logistics network it says supplies Russian drone units at the front.
Ukraine is sustaining its deep-strike tempo against the capital while targeting the civilian logistics network it says supplies Russian drone units at the front.
Ukraine sent 620 drones toward the Moscow region between Monday evening and 5 a.m. Tuesday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. He said Russian defenses destroyed 180 over the region, then downed 17 more en route. Ukraine had not commented, and the figures could not be independently verified.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many drones did Ukraine send at Moscow overnight on Aug. 18?
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 620 drones flew toward the Moscow region between Monday evening and 5 a.m. Tuesday, and that 180 were destroyed over the region, with 17 more downed later, per Al Jazeera and Meduza. Ukraine had not commented, and the figures were not independently verified.
Was this the largest drone attack on Moscow?
TASS called it the largest attempted attack on Moscow in two years. Nationwide, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed 791 drones downed, below the 822 it claimed for the Saturday-night wave of Aug. 15-16, per TASS.
What was hit in the Moscow region?
Governor Andrei Vorobyov said a drone struck a Wildberries warehouse near Atlant Park in Noginsk, a home burned in Kuznetsy, an apartment roof caught fire in Pavlovsky Posad, and three people were injured, per Meduza. Mosoblenergo said more than 5,000 customers lost power.
Why is Ukraine striking Wildberries warehouses?
Wildberries lists drone components and body armor on its site, per the Kyiv Independent. A Ukrainian brigade commander, Yurii Fedorenko, told ArmyInform that Russian units were ordered to ration drone parts after warehouse fires. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any military link.
How is Russia responding to the warehouse strikes?
Roy.Market, a state-backed marketplace for drone parts, moved to full operation on Aug. 14 and is onboarding Wildberries and Ozon sellers, Meduza reported. Wildberries has sought storage in Kazakhstan, and insurer Ingosstrakh raised its drone-attack rate 3.3-fold, per The Insider.
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Russia's Defense Ministry claimed 791 drones were destroyed nationwide over 16 regions, Crimea and the Azov and Black seas. TASS called it the largest attempted attack on Moscow in two years. The ministry had counted 822 on Saturday night, when Sobyanin said about 600 flew toward Moscow. Russian authorities restricted flights at four Moscow airports during Tuesday's wave.
A drone struck a Wildberries warehouse near Atlant Park in Noginsk, Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov stated. Wildberries described minor damage to a wall from debris and said workers had evacuated before the strike. Vorobyov recorded three injuries across the region, including a 10-year-old girl wounded by shrapnel. Mosoblenergo counted more than 5,000 customers and 46 socially significant facilities without power.
The attack continued a campaign against Wildberries, whose website lists drone components and body armor. A Kyiv Post tally counts at least 23 Wildberries facilities struck since July 18. Ukraine's Defense Ministry confirmed Saturday's strike on the company's 250,000-square-meter Koledino complex, its largest warehouse.
Yurii Fedorenko, commander of Ukraine's 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade, told ArmyInform that Russian field communications indicated units had been ordered to ration drone cameras, propellers, controllers and batteries after components burned in warehouses. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that the facilities had any connection to military supplies.
Russia is dispersing that trade. Roy.Market, a state-backed marketplace for drone parts, entered full operation Aug. 14 and began onboarding Wildberries and Ozon sellers, Meduza reported. Wildberries has sought storage in Kazakhstan, while Ingosstrakh raised its drone-attack insurance rate 3.3-fold, per The Insider. Data Insight analyst Sergei Semko put Wildberries' direct infrastructure losses at 147 billion to 223 billion rubles ($1.75 billion to $2.65 billion), Forbes Russia reported.
Russian officials' figures trace the tempo from 390 drones in late July to about 600 Saturday and 620 Monday night. The next measure is whether Defense Ministry tallies stay above 700, and whether Roy.Market's Aug. 14 launch moves drone parts beyond the warehouses Ukraine is striking.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.