Russia’s Defence Ministry reported on Sunday that its forces intercepted and destroyed 379 Ukrainian drones overnight, marking one of the largest coordinated aerial assaults on Russian territory since the conflict began. The widespread attacks left eight people dead and 86 others injured, according to regional authorities.
The ministry detailed that air defence systems were activated across a vast swath of the country, shooting down drones over the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga, Tula, Tambov,ryol, Lipetsk, Tver, Pskov, Voronezh, Rostov, Volgograd, Leningrad, Vladimir, the Moscow region, and Krasnodar. Interceptions also occurred over occupied Crimea, as well as the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
Capital Region Under Siege
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that nearly 370 drones were specifically headed towards the Moscow region overnight. He confirmed that Russian air defence systems managed to intercept the unmanned aerial vehicles before they could reach their intended targets in the densely populated capital area. Despite the interceptions, falling debris and secondary strikes caused significant damage in the surrounding suburbs.
Deadly Impact on Logistics Hubs
The deadliest single incident occurred in the Tambov region, where a drone struck a Wildberries logistics centre. Acting Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov confirmed that seven people were killed and 25 others were injured in the strike. Of the injured, 22 required hospitalization, with eight reported to be in critical condition. Authorities later identified the deceased as four men and three women A major fire ignited by the strike at the warehouse was eventually extinguished by emergency services.
In the Moscow region, Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported drone strikes in the cities of Noginsk and Elektrostal. In Noginsk, an attack sparked a fire at an oil storage facility. As a precautionary measure, 22 women and seven newborns were evacuated from a nearby hospital. Another drone hit a Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal, causing a fire that was later brought under control. Russian officials later updated the toll in the Moscow region, confirming one fatality and 61 injuries, including nine people in critical condition.
Infrastructure Damage and Legal Response
Russia’s Investigative Committee announced it had opened terrorism cases in connection with the attacks on the logistics centres in the Tambov and Moscow regions. Rodion Miroshnik, Russia’s ambassador-large for alleged Ukrainian war crimes, claimed the Wildberries warehouse in Tambov had been deliberately targeted. Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova condemned the strikes as acts of terrorism and alleged war crimes against civilians, stating that appeals had been submitted to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The attacks also severely impacted energy infrastructure. In the Kursk region, a drone strike damaged an energy facility, cutting electricity to more than 46,000 consumers. In the Vladimir region, a drone crashed into a residential building, sparking a fire but causing no casualties. The Russian Defence Ministry said emergency response teams were working across all affected regions, with damage assessments and recovery operations still underway.
