Ukraine Launches Mass Drone Strikes on Russia; Seven Killed in Warehouse Attack, Oil Depot Set Ablaze

Ukraine carried out a wave of drone strikes across several Russian regions on Saturday, killing seven warehouse workers and injuring dozens more, as the war between the two countries — now in its fifth year since February 2022 — showed no signs of easing.

Seven Dead, 25 Hurt in Kotovsk

According to Tambov region governor Yevgeny Pervyshov, drones struck the city of Kotovsk, located roughly 475 kilometres from Moscow. The attack hit a warehouse belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retail company, injuring 25 people.

Pervyshov said seven employees working the night shift were killed instantly at the scene. He added that Russian air defences had intercepted 28 drones before they reached their targets, suggesting the death and injury toll could have been far higher had all the drones got through.

24 Injured in Elektrostal

A separate Wildberries warehouse in the city of Elektrostal, in the Moscow region, was also targeted, leaving 24 people injured. Tatyana Kim, co-founder and chief executive of Wildberries, described it as an exceptionally painful night for both the company and the country, and offered condolences to the families of those who died.

Oil Depot Catches Fire

In the town of Noginsk, also in the Moscow region, debris from a downed drone caused a fire to break out at an oil depot, injuring two people. As a precaution, a nearby maternity hospital was evacuated.

Drone and missile strikes between Russia and Ukraine have continued unabated throughout the conflict, with both sides regularly targeting each other's territory. Saturday's assault is being seen as one of the larger drone attacks on Russia in recent times.