Ukraine and Russia exchanged large-scale aerial attacks over the weekend, causing civilian deaths, injuries and damage to industrial and commercial sites in both countries.
Russian authorities said Ukraine launched one of its largest overnight drone assaults in recent memory. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported destroying 822 drones, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said at least 600 were directed toward the capital. Officials reported six deaths: an 83-year-old man in the Moscow region and five people in Rostov. Several others were injured.
Ukraine said its forces targeted a Rostov factory producing rocket fuel. A separate strike caused a fire at a Wildberries warehouse near Moscow. Kyiv has repeatedly attacked facilities belonging to the Russian e-commerce company, alleging they support military logistics. Wildberries and Russian authorities deny military links. Ukraine says it has struck about 20 company warehouses since July 18 and disabled seven of its 10 largest logistics hubs.
The operation highlighted Ukraine’s expanding ability to strike targets deep inside Russia, reportedly at ranges of up to 1,500 miles. Kyiv has also sought to reduce its reliance on Western military support, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns of shortages in air-defense missiles.
Russia, meanwhile, launched a heavy barrage against Ukraine. Two people were killed and 13 employees injured at the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Kryvyi Rih. The company said energy and blast-furnace facilities were damaged, partially halting production. Strikes also caused fires in Kyiv and injured six people. Ukrainian regional authorities reported at least seven deaths and 51 injuries nationwide during the weekend.
Separately, a NATO aircraft shot down an unidentified drone over Romania. Romanian officials said it entered from Moldova but did not identify its origin. The incidents underscored the widening geographic reach of the conflict, as both sides intensified long-range attacks and neighboring NATO states monitored potential cross-border threats more closely.