In a bold escalation, Ukraine launched a vast drone offensive across Russia on Sunday, marking one of the most intense aerial strikes since the conflict began. This massive assault resulted in the death of at least six individuals.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, a significant number of 822 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and neutralized overnight. Of these, around 600 were detected en route to Moscow, prompting immediate defensive action. Sergei Sobyanin, the Moscow mayor, confirmed that a third of these drones were taken down before reaching the capital.
Tragically, an 83-year-old individual lost his life when a Ukrainian drone struck a private residence in the Moscow region, as reported by local Governor Andrey Vorobyov. The governor also noted that the attack ignited a fire at a warehouse operated by the Russian retail titan, Wildberries, in Podolsk. Images broadcast by Russian media depicted towering plumes of black smoke emanating from the site.
Elsewhere, a series of drone strikes targeted three towns located in Russia’s Rostov region in the southwest, resulting in five fatalities, as confirmed by the area’s governor, Yury Slyusar. This concerted attack, involving over 150 drones, led to significant damage to multiple homes and a railway station, besides igniting a forest fire.
The frequency and intensity of Ukraine’s attacks on Russian soil have surged this year. Employing long-range missiles and drone swarms, Ukraine has increasingly focused on military and energy targets. The strategy also includes strikes on Wildberries depots, resulting in the destruction of billions in merchandise, underscoring the conflict’s reach deep into Russian territory nearly four-and-a-half years after Moscow’s extensive invasion began.
Russian strike kills 3 in Ukraine
A Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih killed two people and wounded 14 others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media Sunday. He also said that one more person had been killed in the city of Sumy.
Meanwhile, a Russian attack on Kyiv sparked fires throughout the Ukrainian capital and injured six people.
“Wherever the Russians can reach with their ballistic missiles, they strike civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said. “Since this morning, air raid alerts have continued in many regions – the Russians launched another wave of drones.”
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