Fires reported near Moscow as Ukraine launches dozens of drones towards Russian capital
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Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale drone attack targeting Moscow and the surrounding region overnight on Aug. 18, Russian Telegram media channels reported, citing resident accounts.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that at least 86 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Moscow Oblast during the attack.
The Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channel Exilenova Plus reported that Russian air defense systems struck a residential building in the town Pavlovsky Posad around 67 kilometers (42 miles) outside of Moscow while attempting to down the drones. A fire was seen on the roof of a building.
A fire was also reportedly seen emanating from an aluminum plant in Moscow Oblast. While yet a third fire was also seen burning at a home in the city of Lyubertsy, immediately outside the Moscow city boundaries.
The extent of the damage caused was not immediately clear.
The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports nor claims made by Russian officials.
The reported strikes follows one of Ukraine's largest drone attacks on Moscow Oblast on Aug. 16, which damaged a warehouse belonging to major Russian online retailer Wildberries in Moscow Oblast.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry confirmed the attack on the Wildberries warehouse, noting that it is the company's largest such facility, at 250,000 square meters.
Attacks on Moscow have become increasingly common in recent months through Ukrainian drone developments.
Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia and the occupied territories in an effort to diminish Moscow's ability to continue waging its war.
