Key facts
- Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale drone attack targeting Moscow and the surrounding region.
- At least 63 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Moscow Oblast, according to the Moscow Mayor.
- A fire was reported on the roof of a residential building in Pavlovsky Posad.
- The attack follows a significant drone strike on August 16 that damaged a major Wildberries warehouse.
Russian police officers guard Red Square in front of the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on May 3, 2023. (Contributor / Getty Images)
Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale drone attack targeting Moscow and the surrounding region overnight on Aug. 18, according to reports citing resident accounts. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin stated that at least 63 Ukrainian drones were shot down over the Moscow Oblast. A Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channel reported that Russian air defense systems struck a residential building in the town of Pavlovsky Posad, approximately 67 kilometers (42 miles) outside of Moscow, while attempting to down the drones, with a fire seen on the roof. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
The reported strikes follow one of Ukraine's largest drone attacks on Moscow Oblast on Aug. 16, which damaged a warehouse belonging to major Russian online retailer Wildberries. Ukraine's Defense Ministry confirmed the attack on the Wildberries warehouse, noting it is the company's largest facility at 250,000 square meters. Attacks on Moscow have become increasingly common in recent months as Ukraine seeks to diminish Russia's ability to wage war.