Moscow: A massive overnight Ukrainian drone assault on Russia has triggered a huge fire at a warehouse belonging to Wildberries, one of the country’s largest online retailers, in the Moscow region.
The attack on Sunday, August 16, was part of what Russian authorities described as one of the largest drone attacks since the war began. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that 822 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across the country, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said hundreds were directed toward the capital region.
One of the most dramatic incidents occurred at a Wildberries logistics facility in Podolsk, roughly 45 kilometres south of Moscow. The warehouse, which covers around 200,000 square metres, caught fire following the reported drone strike. Footage from the area showed enormous clouds of thick black smoke rising above the facility, creating a scene that quickly spread across social media.
Casualties reported
Russian officials said the attack caused casualties in the Moscow region. Reuters reported that an 83-year-old man was killed in Podolsk, while several other people were injured in different incidents linked to the drone assault.
Emergency crews were deployed to deal with the warehouse fire and assess damage at other locations across the region.
The scale of the attack was particularly significant because Moscow officials said around 600 drones were launched toward the capital region, with 201 reportedly neutralised. The Russian Defence Ministry gave a much higher nationwide figure, saying 822 drones had been shot down. The claims could not be independently verified.
Wildberries facilities increasingly targeted
The latest incident is not the first time Wildberries warehouses have been caught up in the war.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian economic infrastructure, while Kyiv has accused Wildberries of being involved in supplying goods and logistics connected to Russia’s war effort. The company has previously seen several of its major facilities damaged in drone attacks.
Earlier attacks on Wildberries warehouses resulted in deaths and dozens of injuries, highlighting the growing vulnerability of large commercial logistics centres located far from the immediate battlefield.
Ukraine expands long-range drone campaign
The latest strike demonstrates how Ukraine’s long-range drone capabilities have expanded during the conflict.
Ukrainian forces have increasingly attempted to strike targets deep inside Russian territory, particularly facilities connected to energy production, military logistics and other strategic infrastructure. Some attacks have reached areas hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine’s borders.
The escalation comes as Russia continues its own extensive aerial campaign against Ukraine. On the same day, Russian drone and missile attacks reportedly killed several people in Ukraine, including victims in Kryvyi Rih, while strikes also damaged locations in Kyiv and Sumy.
The latest exchange illustrates the increasingly long-range nature of the conflict, with neither side limiting attacks to areas immediately adjacent to the front lines.
For residents around Moscow, meanwhile, the sight of a huge commercial warehouse engulfed in flames offered a stark reminder that the war is increasingly reaching Russia’s major population and economic centres.
As both Moscow and Kyiv expand their drone campaigns, attacks on strategic and commercial infrastructure are becoming an increasingly important feature of the conflict—raising fresh concerns about casualties, economic disruption and the possibility of even broader escalation.
