Ukraine launches one of its largest drone attacks on Moscow Oblast, damaging Wildberries warehouse

Ukrainian forces struck cities across Russia's Moscow Oblast in a major overnight drone attack on Aug. 16, damaging a warehouse belonging to major Russian online retailer Wildberries, Moscow Oblast Governor Andrey Vorobyov claimed.

A fire broke out at the Wildberries warehouse in the village of Koledino near Moscow after it was struck by Ukrainian forces, the governor said. Monitoring channel Exilenova Plus posted footage purportedly showing the attack.

In the city of Domodedovo, the Severnoye Domodedovo production and logistics complex was set ablaze amid the attack, the outlet reported.

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.

"Ukraine has taken out of operation seven out of the 10 largest Wildberries logistics centers," the ministry said.

According to Vorobyov, Russian air defenses intercepted 187 Ukrainian drones overnight across Moscow Oblast, including in Domodedovo, Podolsk, Stupino, Odintsovo, Naro-Fominsk, Ramenskoye, Chekhov, Kolomna, Kashira, and Yegoryevsk.

The governor called it "one of the most massive drone attacks (against Moscow Oblast) in recent memory." One person was killed in the attacks, he claimed.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, in turn, claimed that as many as 201 drones were intercepted over the region, alleging that 600 unmanned aerial vehicles were headed toward Moscow Oblast in total.

Attacks were also reported in southwestern Rostov Oblast, with Governor Yuri Slyusar reporting 150 drones and missiles downed over three cities and nine districts. Five people were killed, and one was injured in the attacks, the governor alleged.

Russia's Defense Ministry reported that Russian air defenses intercepted 822 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions. The reported figure would rank among the largest Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory to date.

Ukraine's General Staff reported that its attacks on Rostov Oblast targeted Kombinat Kamensky, a state-owned enterprise that produces solid rocket fuel for the Uragan, Smerch, and Tornado-S rocket launchers.

"The plant's products are directly used to supply the needs of the Russian Armed Forces," the General Staff said on its Telegram channel.

The claims could not be independently verified by the Kyiv Independent.

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.

Ukrainian forces struck Russia's Savasleyka military airbase and a key Roscosmos facility in Samara Oblast using domestically produced Flamingo missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Aug. 15.

Overnight on Aug. 14, Ukraine struck one of Russia's largest ports on the Baltic Sea, damaging two processing plants and sparking a fire, Ukraine's General Staff said.

In Voronezh Oblast, a Wildberries logistics hub in the Russian village of Novaya Usman was engulfed in flames on Aug. 11 following a series of explosions at the site amid Ukrainian strikes, Telegram channel Supernova Plus reported.

The attack was later confirmed by Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces.

Wildberries lists a range of military equipment on its website, including drone components and body armor. The company's banking arm was sanctioned by the EU in July over its financial contribution to Russia's state budget. Wildberries also plays a significant role in the Russian consumer economy.