Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale drone attack on Russian territory for the second time on Tuesday, August 18th. Nearly 800 drones bombed Moscow and several regions in Russia, resulting in a fire at the logistics warehouse of the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries and damage to some power facilities.
At the same time, Russian missiles attacked the village of Pechenihy in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine, hitting residential areas and gathering places, causing at least 10 deaths and 17 injuries.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that their air defense systems intercepted 791 Ukrainian drones overnight, marking the second-largest drone attack since January 2025.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that over 600 drones were heading towards the Moscow area, with 180 of them being shot down by air defense systems. The Russian officials did not further clarify the statistical differences between the two sets of data or the specific whereabouts of the remaining drones.
According to reports from the Asian Financial, with drones exploding around them, Moscow descended into chaos resembling doomsday. Girls screamed as they scattered, cars sped past. A fire broke out near the Kapotnya refinery, the Wildberries warehouse was attacked, residential buildings, vehicles, and substations were damaged, and over 5,000 households experienced power outages. All four airports in Moscow were under control.
Meanwhile, Rostov Oblast and the occupied Crimean Peninsula also suffered simultaneous drone attacks alongside the ongoing assault.
In the village of Pechenihy in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, Russian missiles destroyed multiple houses, a coffee shop, a post office, and stores. Ukrainian President Zelensky condemned this as a “brutal attack” targeting civilians, vowing that Ukrainian forces “will respond to Russia’s attack.”
Additionally, reports emerged of 3 deaths and 3 injuries in the past day due to Russian attacks in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine.
Foreign media outlets like the Associated Press analyzed that Russia and Ukraine are locked in an intense war of attrition through long-range air strikes. With a front line stretching approximately 1,250 kilometers in eastern and southern Ukraine, the heavy use of drones and ground robots has hindered troop advances, resulting in a stalemate with no major breakthroughs recently.
Ukraine’s use of domestically-produced long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory aims to make the Russian public feel the consequences of war and pressure President Putin to engage in peace talks. However, Putin has not shown any intent to halt the invasion.
In terms of international relations, the UK’s Sunday Times reported that two British companies manufactured drones used by Ukraine against Russia. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham reiterated the UK’s firm support for Ukraine’s defense, while the Russian Embassy in London warned that London authorities would bear “inevitable consequences” for their actions.