Ukraine Strikes Kill at Least Seven in Russia as Moscow Reports 822 Drones Intercepted
Ukrainian drone strikes killed at least seven people in Russia while Russian missile and drone attacks killed at least seven more in Ukraine, with both sides intensifying long-range strikes on civilian infrastructure and logistics targets. The Ukraine strikes formed part of one of the largest aerial assaults reported this year.
Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack on Russia
Russia reported intercepting 822 Ukrainian drones overnight, including around 600 aimed at the Moscow region in one of the largest aerial attacks of 2026, with deaths in Rostov, Belgorod, Kursk and Moscow regions and a Wildberries warehouse set ablaze near Moscow. [3] Five people died in Russia's south-western region of Rostov following overnight strikes, its governor said. [2] Officials in Belgorod said a woman was killed after a civilian bus was struck, while an 83-year-old man died in a drone attack in the Moscow region. [3] Moscow’s regional governor Andrey Vorobyov described the assault as “one of the most massive drone attacks in recent memory”. [2] Russia’s defence ministry said it had intercepted 822 drones across the country overnight. [2] A warehouse belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries was hit near Moscow, injuring three, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. [3] Videos showed a fire and a large plume of smoke over the warehouse. [3]
Russian Strikes Kill at Least Seven in Ukraine
In Ukraine, Russian strikes hit Kryvyi Rih killing three including at an ArcelorMittal steel plant that partially halted operations, plus deaths in Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Donetsk and damage to a popular book market in Kyiv where multiple stalls were destroyed. [2] A barrage of Russian drones and missiles killed two people and wounded 14 at ArcelorMittal’s steel plant in Kryvyi Rih. [2] The plant said it partially halted operations after the strike damaged its core production facilities. [2] Another strike hit Kryvyi Rih on Sunday evening, killing one person. [2] Strikes also hit other regions, killing two people in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, one in the border region of Sumy and another in Donetsk in the east. [2] In Kyiv, a popular outdoor book market at Pochaina was struck, and bookseller Dmytro Semenukha saw all four of his stalls burn to the ground. [2] Burnt books could be seen lying on the ground while firefighters continued to douse the flames. [3]
Zelensky's Account of Weekly Attacks
Zelensky reported that over the past week Russia launched more than 1,550 attack drones, nearly 1,560 guided aerial bombs and 62 missiles across 13 Ukrainian regions, targeting civilian infrastructure. [2] In a social media post on the overnight raid, Zelensky said that “wherever the Russians can reach with their ballistic missiles, they strike civilian infrastructure”. [2] Over the past week, he said, Ukrainian cities had been pummelled by “more than 1,550 attack drones, nearly 1,560 guided aerial bombs, and 62 missiles”, as he renewed his appeal to allies for more air defence. [2]
Rising Civilian Toll and Aerial Focus
The intensified aerial exchanges have pushed civilian death tolls to their highest levels since early 2022, with the UN reporting 437 civilians killed in Ukraine in July and Russian authorities reporting 79 civilians killed that month. [2] With fighting at the front at a near standstill and talks frozen, the warring countries have significantly stepped up long-range attacks deep behind each other’s lines. [2] Russia has intensified missile attacks across Ukraine in recent weeks, with Kyiv also stepping up drone strikes deep inside Russia. [3] In July alone, 437 civilians were killed in Ukraine, the highest monthly toll since May 2022, according to a United Nations tally. [4]
Ukraine's Targeting of Russian Logistics
Ukraine has targeted around 20 Wildberries warehouses since mid-July, claiming they supply components for Russian drones, while Russia has increased use of ballistic missiles exploiting Ukrainian air defence shortages after US stocks were diverted in the conflict with Iran. [2] For its part, Ukraine has increasingly targeted warehouses belonging to Russia’s biggest online retailer Wildberries, saying the company supplies components for Russian drones. [2] Near Moscow, another Wildberries warehouse was set ablaze by Ukrainian drones overnight. [2] Since mid-July, Ukraine has struck around 20 warehouses and buildings linked to the company. [2] Zelensky says those strikes, along with attacks on oil refineries, are aimed at undermining Russia’s war economy. [2]
Air Defence Shortages and International Spillover
Russia has carried out near-daily missile and drone strikes across Ukraine since launching its full-scale invasion in early 2022. [2] It has recently intensified attacks using hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles, exploiting Ukraine’s air-defence shortages after the US-Israeli war against Iran diverted supplies. [2] “When North Korean ballistic missiles destroy infrastructure and claim lives here in Europe, European interceptors cannot simply be allowed to sit in storage,” Zelensky said. [2] After the overnight raid, Romania’s defence ministry said a Spanish F-18 fighter jet had shot down a drone that breached its airspace near the borders with Ukraine and Moldova. [2] NATO said Friday its fighter jets had shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace — the second such incident there in a week, according to Latvia’s defence ministry. [2]
What to watch next: Ukraine’s defence ministry said the latest attack meant that seven out of 10 of the largest Wildberries logistics centres had been disabled, while Russia said its attacks on Kyiv on Saturday night targeted a FirePoint facility producing parts for Ukrainian Flamingo missiles and a factory making components for drones. [3]
