Ukraine’s Biggest Drone Attack Yet: 1,478 Drones Downed, 6 Dead Near Moscow

Russia’s defense ministry said it shot down 1,478 Ukrainian drones in a single day—the highest number it has claimed in the conflict so far [220389]. The overnight attack set a large warehouse ablaze near the Russian capital, with Moscow’s mayor reporting that 201 drones were intercepted over the region alone [220317]. Russian officials confirmed at least six deaths in the Moscow area and the southern Rostov region, which borders Ukraine [220346][220389].

The scale of the barrage marks a sharp escalation in Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign, hitting targets roughly 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border [220346]. Video footage showed fires raging at two major warehouse facilities, Koledino and Severnoye Domodedovo, as emergency crews worked to contain the blazes [220317]. Local authorities reported no immediate casualties from the warehouse fires, though the broader attack killed six people across multiple regions [220317][220269].

In response, Russian forces struck 13 locations inside Ukraine, killing seven people [220389]. Ukrainian authorities also reported five civilian deaths from separate strikes on their own territory during the same period [220346]. The combined death toll from the overnight exchanges reached at least 11 [220346].

The attack is part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to target Russian military supply chains and economic infrastructure. Recent strikes have hit a rocket plant in the Samara region, a facility producing fuel for Uragan and Smerch rockets, and a Russian radar system in Crimea [219816][220318][218072]. Ukrainian military hackers have also disabled payment systems at Wildberries, Russia’s largest online marketplace, which Kyiv says moves parts for Russian drones [220327][220344].

Both sides continue to trade long-range blows, with civilian casualties mounting on each side of the front line [220346].