Russia Says Ukrainian Drone Attack Kills 7, Injures Dozens; Kyiv Reports Russian Strike Casualties

MOSCOW, July 18: A Ukrainian drone attack overnight killed seven people and injured dozens in Russia, Russian authorities said Saturday, as both sides reported fresh strikes amid the ongoing war.

Tambov region Governor Evgeny Pervyshov said drones struck a warehouse belonging to an online retailer in the city of Kotovsk, killing seven people and injuring 25 others. He added that the fire at the facility had been extinguished and emergency teams were continuing operations at the site.

In the Moscow region, 24 people were injured after a drone hit an online retailer’s warehouse in Elektrostal, according to Governor Andrey Vorobiev. Two more people were injured in Noginsk, where a drone crash also sparked a fire at an oil depot, he said.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed that more than 370 Ukrainian drones had targeted the Moscow region since Friday evening, with most intercepted before reaching the capital.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems shot down 379 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, as well as areas including Crimea and the Azov and Black seas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s forces had struck “two major logistics facilities” in Russia’s Moscow and Tambov regions, alleging they were used to supply components for drone production and navigation equipment. He also said Ukrainian forces targeted an oil facility and carried out strikes in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Crimea.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reported casualties from Russian attacks. Ukraine’s Navy said one person was killed in a Russian strike on port infrastructure in Odesa that damaged the dry cargo ship VENTURO, while 17 Filipino civilian sailors were safely evacuated.

Ukraine’s Kherson regional authorities also reported that five people were injured after a Russian strike hit a civilian vehicle.

The claims from both sides could not be independently verified due to the ongoing conflict.