Moscow Swarmed By 600+ Ukrainian Drones In Massive Overnight Barrage
Ukraine has launched another massive overnight drone wave on Russia. While this is nothing new or unusual, the number of drones concentrated specifically on the Moscow region was much larger than prior attacks.
Over 600 drones were sent on Moscow and the surrounding region overnight into Tuesday morning, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. It ranks among the single largest assaults on the capital of the war. Regional reports say it’s the largest drone attack on Moscow of the last two years.
Moscow on Tuesday. @exilenova_plus/Telegram, The Moscow Times
At least 180 of the drones were confirmed downed over the Moscow region alone – possibly more – with emergency crews responding to several crash sites, including at another Wildberries warehouse near Moscow.
Authorities cited that at least three people were injured in the assault, including a 10-year old girl. Smoke has been seen rising over residential and construction areas in social media photographs.
At least 5,000 homes or businesses are reported to be without power in the wake of the overnight strikes, regional energy provider Mosoblenergo has said.
The Associated Press has cited at least 800 Ukrainian drones launched across the whole country, as part of the same broader attack. The report further indicated:
The overnight attack started a fire at a warehouse of Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online retailer, in an industrial zone. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted the company, which it says helps supply the Russian military, an allegation Moscow denies.
Wildberries said its facility sustained “insignificant damage.”
The online retailer, widely seen as the ‘Russian Amazon’, has seen its logistics hubs frequently targeted over the past month.
Purported video of military & security outposts desperately trying to repel the inbound drone attack:
It’s crazy in Moscow.
All four airports are currently closed.
It’s also incredibly loud in various districts as Russia’s air defence tries to land a few more drones on its people. pic.twitter.com/qMz1JRadF5
— Tim White (@TWMCLtd) August 18, 2026
EuroNews observes that seven out of ten of the company’s biggest warehouses have been it and suffered serious damage, enough to take them offline: “Seven logistics hubs belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, have now been struck and knocked out of action since the campaign began in July.”
While none of this has substantially changed Russian forces’ ground momentum along the front lines, the Institute for the Study of War has said that the aerial campaign is effectively pressuring the Kremlin, given the steady economic setbacks and devastation.
The Kyiv Independent
“Moscow simply does not have enough air-defense coverage to shield every piece of infrastructure in its rear, even ten of its most valuable commercial sites,” the ISW assessment concluded. However, nothing has indicated that President Putin is ready to change course – instead we are seeing things steadily escalate on both sides.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 08/18/2026 – 12:15