Moscow region hit by heaviest drone barrage in two years as Kharkiv strike kills 10

Ukraine and Russia have exchanged significant overnight strikes, marking a notable escalation in long-distance aerial attacks. Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest drone barrages in two years, targeting the Moscow region and causing damage to a Wildberries warehouse near Kolomna and injuries to three civilians. In retaliation, Russian forces struck the Kharkiv region, resulting in ten civilian deaths and damage to local infrastructure.

Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that a Russian missile strike on the village of Pechenihy killed 10 people and wounded 18 others. The attack damaged 10 private houses, a cafe, a post office, a shop, and at least seven vehicles. Syniehubov noted that casualty figures were preliminary and confirmed that emergency services were responding to the scene, which he described as a busy intersection.

In the Moscow region, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that approximately 620 drones flew towards the capital overnight. He confirmed that air defences intercepted the majority on approach, with 180 shot down over the Moscow area. Russian state news agency TASS described the incident as the heaviest drone attack in two years, while the Defence Ministry claimed to have repelled 791 Ukrainian drones across Russian territory and the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

Moscow regional governor Andrei Vorobyov reported that over 150 drones were shot down over the capital, resulting in injuries to three people in separate districts, including a young girl with a shrapnel wound. The drone swarm caused damage to residential buildings, with one house in the village of Kuznetsy burning down completely. A drone also struck a Wildberries warehouse near Atlant-Park in Kolomna, causing damage at a retail site near a shopping centre.

Russia’s Embassy in London condemned the use of UK-supplied drones in the attacks, accusing the British government of escalating the crisis. The embassy asserted that London was acting as an accomplice to Ukrainian attacks and warned that such actions would carry consequences. This diplomatic friction coincides with a visit by German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider to Kyiv, where he is discussing infrastructure reconstruction and nuclear plant safety with Ukrainian partners.

Schneider, accompanied by business representatives, arrived in Kyiv to identify opportunities for climate-friendly infrastructure renewal. He was briefed on the damage to the protective dome covering the Chernobyl reactor, noting that repairs are highly complex. The visit also highlights ongoing concerns regarding Ukraine’s main functioning nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia, which remains under Russian military occupation and requires external power and maintenance.

The exchange of strikes comes amid broader concerns about civilian casualties. The United Nations has warned that amplified Russian strikes on towns and cities in July led to civilian deaths rising to levels not seen since May 2022. Both sides continue to target infrastructure, with Kharkiv and the neighbouring Belgorod region in Russia frequently affected throughout the conflict.