Harry Archie
At least eight people have been killed after Ukrainian drones attacked warehouses in Russia’s Moscow and Tambov regions.
The attacks happened on Saturday and caused large fires that filled the sky with thick black smoke for several hours.
Russian officials said two warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online shopping company, were hit.
Seven night-shift workers died at the warehouse in Tambov, while another person died after an attack in the Moscow region.
Nearly 60 people were injured and taken to hospital, according to local authorities.
Firefighters worked for hours to control the fires.
The fire in Tambov was later put out, while emergency workers continued battling the blaze in Elektrostal, near Moscow.
An empty kindergarten was also damaged, but no one was hurt.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 370 Ukrainian drones were launched towards the Moscow region overnight.
He added that Russian air defences intercepted nearly 1,900 drones heading for Moscow over the past week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attacks.
He said the warehouses were being used to store parts and equipment for making Russian drones, describing the strikes as a response to Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes on Ukraine killed one person and injured 13 others in the southern port city of Odesa.
Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone attacks on Russian territory in recent months, mainly targeting oil facilities and other key infrastructure.
The attacks have caused fuel shortages in many parts of Russia and disrupted daily life.
Despite the continued attacks, fighting along the front line has changed little in recent weeks, while international efforts to end the war remain stalled.
