Russian officials said on Saturday (July 18) that Ukrainian drones attacked multiple facilities in the country, including warehouses, causing 8 fatalities and over 60 injuries, and triggering fires in several locations.
According to Russian officials, on Friday night, two large warehouses of the Russian online retailer Wildberries were targeted by Ukrainian drones, leading to fires. One warehouse is located in Kotovsk town, Tambov region, about 360 kilometers (approximately 220 miles) from the Ukrainian border; while the other is in Elektrostal city, about 50 kilometers (approximately 30 miles) east of Moscow. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 7 individuals in one facility and 1 in the other.
The Governor of Tambov region, Evgeniy Pervyshov, stated that in Kotovsk town, 7 night shift employees of Wildberries perished in the attack, with 25 others sustaining injuries, including 7 in critical condition.
Pervyshov also mentioned that the Ukrainian drones were “equipped with warheads designed to cause more casualties,” and added that 28 drones were shot down by the Russian military.
The Governor of Moscow region, Andrei Vorobyov, noted that apart from the man who perished in the factory in Elektrostal city, 37 people in his region were injured, with 8 in critical condition.
He revealed that drone debris hit a kindergarten in Elektrostal city, sparking a large fire. Vorobyov added that another Ukrainian drone hit an oil depot in Noginsk, north of Elektrostal city, causing a fire and necessitating the emergency evacuation of personnel from a maternity hospital and a residential building nearby. He did not specify the extent of damage to the facilities but stated that two individuals were injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Saturday on the social media platform Telegram that Ukrainian long-range strike operations hit two “important logistics facilities in Moscow and Tambov regions.”
In his post, he wrote, “These facilities were used by the aggressors to supply sanctioned components for the production of drones and navigation equipment.” He also confirmed that a Ukrainian drone hit an oil facility.
Zelensky further mentioned that Ukrainian special forces targeted objectives in the Sea of Azov and Ukraine’s territories occupied by Russian forces.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russian air defense systems intercepted 379 Ukrainian drones overnight in 19 Russian regions, including Crimea, and over the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
(This article references a report by National Public Radio (NPR) of the United States)