Ukraine fires 400 drones at Moscow as Russia steps up ballistic missile attacks
Ukraine Fires 400 Drones at Moscow in Major Escalation
Usagevpn.com – Ukraine fires 400 drones at Moscow in a significant overnight operation that targeted critical infrastructure in the Russian capital. The aerial assault, launched on Monday, successfully hit an oil depot and a major logistics centre within the city. Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces also struck two shadow fleet tankers and four cargo ships in the Black Sea during the coordinated campaign. These attacks came following a weekend of escalating exchanges between the two nations, with Russia targeting Kyiv with ballistic missiles on Sunday while Ukraine simultaneously hit warehouses belonging to Russia's largest online marketplace—Wildberries—outside of Moscow on Saturday.
Damage Assessment and Civilian Impact
The Saturday strikes on Wildberries warehouses marked another chapter in Ukraine's campaign against Russian supply chains. Local media reported that yet another fire was reported at a warehouse belonging to the Russian online retailer in Ukraine's latest attack. Out of the 400 Ukrainian drones launched toward the Russian capital, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said most were downed away from the capital and 85 were intercepted near Moscow. Ten people, including a child, were wounded and several residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged, according to Andrei Vorobyov, the head of the region around Moscow. Vorobyov listed damage in the towns of Podolsk, Domodedovo and Odintsovo.
"We are justly responding to every Russian strike on our cities and communities," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X. "This war must be ended, and that is possible only by intensifying pressure on the sole cause of this war."
A day earlier, Russia launched a large-scale ballistic missile attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, killing one person and injuring 16 others. In recent weeks, Moscow has intensified its use of ballistic missiles significantly. "Russian forces have launched more ballistic missiles against Ukraine thus far in July than Russia reportedly produces each month," the Institute for the Study of War said on Sunday. "Russia appears to be dipping into its stockpiles to continue increasing the number of ballistic missiles it launches against Ukraine, as these missiles have a higher success rate than drones and cruise missiles," it added.
According to Ukraine's air force, Russia launched 94 long-range strike drones at Ukraine overnight, of which Ukrainian air defences jammed or intercepted 81. Nine drones and a missile caused damage at nine locations. The growing escalation indicates an agreement between the two sides remains distant, but Kyiv has said its strikes on the Russian capital are intended to damage Russia's offensive capabilities and pressure the Kremlin to negotiate. Ukraine fires 400 drones at Moscow as part of this broader strategy to weaken Russian military infrastructure while simultaneously addressing domestic challenges.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said he would hold "key talks" on Monday as he grapples with a domestic political crisis after announcing a cabinet reshuffle last week. What began as anger over the dismissal of the reformist defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has swelled into public outrage over Zelenskyy's management of the military, and sparked protests demanding radical changes at the top command. This internal pressure comes as Ukraine continues to demonstrate its ability to project power deep into Russian territory, with the recent drone campaign serving as both military action and political statement.
The coordinated nature of Ukraine's operations—simultaneously striking targets in Moscow, the Black Sea, and Russian warehouses—demonstrates a sophisticated multi-front approach. As Russia continues to ramp up its ballistic missile campaign against Ukrainian cities, Ukraine's response with drones and missiles shows no signs of diminishing. The timing of these operations, coinciding with Zelenskyy's domestic political challenges, suggests Kyiv is determined to maintain momentum on the battlefield while addressing internal governance issues.