As Russia’s war in Ukraine continues, both sides are expanding their aerial campaigns with strikes deep inside each other’s territory. On Sunday, Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks on Russia since the conflict began, with Russia’s Defence Ministry claiming that 822 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted or neutralised across the country. The attacks were reported in 17 regions, particularly in southern and western Russia, and at least six people were killed.
The Moscow region was among the primary targets. Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said Russian forces had intercepted 187 drones over the area. One of the most significant targets was a Wildberries warehouse, belonging to Russia’s largest online retailer. Reuters footage showed a massive column of smoke rising from the company’s facility in Koledino, around 45 kilometres south of Moscow. The warehouse spans approximately 250,000 square metres and is one of Wildberries’ major logistics hubs.
Ukraine has targeted Wildberries facilities several times in recent months, alleging that the retailer handles supplies used by the Russian military. Kyiv says seven of the company’s 10 largest logistics centres have been struck as part of a wider campaign against infrastructure supporting Russia’s war effort.
RUSSIA REPORTS ATTACKS ACROSS 17 REGIONS
Russia’s Defence Ministry said Ukrainian drones were intercepted over 17 regions, with most of the attacks concentrated in the southern and western parts of the country.
In the Rostov region, five people were killed, according to regional Governor Yuri Slyusar. Ukrainian officials claimed that a facility producing solid rocket propellant for Russian weapons was among the targets.
Ukraine’s military said the strike hit a defence-industrial facility involved in manufacturing propellant used in various Russian weapons. Moscow did not immediately respond to the Ukrainian allegation.
Another person was reportedly killed when a drone struck a bus near Belgorod, regional authorities said. The Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, has frequently been targeted during the war.
The attacks form part of Kyiv’s intensified campaign to disrupt Russian military production, fuel supplies and logistics. Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range drones to strike refineries, industrial facilities, warehouses and other strategic infrastructure located far from the front lines.
RUSSIA CONTINUES HEAVY STRIKES ON UKRAINE
While Ukraine carried out the large-scale drone assault, Russia continued launching attacks across Ukraine.
Russian forces struck Kryvyi Rih, the central Ukrainian city and hometown of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, damaging the country’s largest steel plant operated by ArcelorMittal. Ukrainian officials said at least two people were killed and 14 others injured.
The company said critical facilities associated with power generation and blast furnace operations were damaged, resulting in a partial halt to production.
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih said the attack damaged key production facilities in the power generation and blast furnace sectors and forced some of the plant’s production operations to stop.
Additional attacks were reported in Kremenchuk and Sumy.
Zelenskyy said Russia had launched more than 1,550 attack drones, nearly 1,560 guided aerial bombs and 62 missiles against Ukraine over the previous week.
He again urged European allies to provide additional air-defence systems, saying such equipment should be deployed to protect lives rather than remain unused in storage.
RUSSIAN DRONE SHOT DOWN OVER ROMANIA
The expanding aerial conflict also reached neighbouring Romania, where the Defence Ministry said an F-18 fighter jet operating as part of a Spanish NATO air-policing mission shot down a drone after it entered Romanian airspace.
Romanian authorities said the incident occurred at around 5:01 am local time. The drone entered Romanian territory from neighbouring Moldova, and debris from the aircraft reportedly fell in an uninhabited area between two villages.
Romania initially did not identify the origin of the drone, while a NATO spokesperson said it appeared to be Russian.
It was reportedly the fourth occasion this year on which a drone had been shot down over Romanian territory. Romania, which shares a border with Ukraine, has repeatedly reported drone incursions connected to the wider conflict.
WAR SHOWS NO SIGN OF EASING
The latest escalation indicates that the conflict is entering an increasingly dangerous phase, with both Moscow and Kyiv expanding the scale and range of their aerial operations.
The war is no longer restricted to the immediate battlefield, with attacks increasingly reaching the economic and industrial centres that sustain each side’s military efforts.
Russia continues to use missiles, drones and guided bombs against Ukrainian cities and industrial sites, while Ukraine is deploying long-range drones to strike deep inside Russia at infrastructure it says supports Moscow’s military campaign.
