Ukrainian drones reportedly target Moscow, St. Petersburg amid wider strikes
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russian media and officials reported approaching Ukrainian drones across multiple regions overnight on July 17, as Ukraine's military launched a wider drone attack on the western regions of Russia, including Moscow.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that Russian air defenses had shot down three drones approaching the capital between 2-3 a.m. local time. Sobyanin added that emergency workers were on scene, making no mention of any casualties or damage caused.
In St. Petersburg, the Pulkovo Airport temporarily suspended operations at 5 a.m. local time, Rosaviatsiya reported, presumably amid approaching drones, as Russian airports have regularly experienced temporary ground halts amid Ukrainian attacks. The halt reportedly delayed the departure of at least 10 flights.
Russian state media outlet TASS reported that drones were downed with electronic warfare systems east of St. Petersburg.
In Smolensk Oblast, located south of St. Petersburg, one person was injured as 14 drones were downed over the region, Governor Vasily Anokhin claimed
Closer to the front line, Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured six in the city of Belgorod. One other person was allegedly injured in the region.
In the city of Voronezh, Russian Telegram media channels reported that a drone had struck a residential building, injuring three children. Regional Governor Alexander Gusev claimed that at least five drones had been downed over the region.
While in Kaluga Oblast, a 14-year-old girl was injured as three drones were allegedly downed over the region, regional Governor Vladislav Shapsha claimed.
Russia's Defense Ministry said that a total of 122 Ukrainian drones had been downed over various regions of the country.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify any claims made by Russian officials or media channels.
Ukraine regularly targets Russian regions along the front lines with drone attacks. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the wider drone attacks.
The reported Ukrainian attacks followed a series of Russian drone attack on Ukraine's front line region.
In Nikopol, a double-tap attack injured five people, including three emergency workers. Earlier in the day, Russia also dropped a 500-kg aerial bomb on shopping center in Donetsk Oblast, killing two and injuring 28 others.
Russia continues to increase the severity of its own attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The night prior, Russian forces launched waves of drones and missiles across Ukraine, leading to significant power outages and casualties in different regions, including western oblasts far from the front lines.
Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia launched over long-range 1,800 drones towards Ukraine. The week saw a record Russian attack on July 9, when Russian forces deployed 728 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys.
As Russian attacks have continued to intensify, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin has 50 days to strike a peace deal or face stiff tariffs from Washington.
Trump said on July 16 that U.S. Patriot air defense missiles bound for Ukraine are already en route, days after unveiling a new NATO-coordinated arms scheme for Kyiv.
