Russia says it downed 605 Ukrainian drones; logistics hub damaged
Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday that its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian territory and the annexed Crimean Peninsula. The claim, if accurate, would mark one of the largest reported Ukrainian drone barrages of the conflict so far.
The ministry said attacks were repelled in several regions, including Tver, located about 180 kilometres northwest of Moscow. The regional governor, Vitaly Korolyov, reported that a logistics centre belonging to Wildberries, an e-commerce giant often described as 'Russia's Amazon', had been slightly damaged. 'As a result of the fall of debris from one of the drones, the facade of the Wildberries logistics centre was slightly damaged,' he wrote on Telegram, adding that no one had been wounded.
Ukrainian forces have repeatedly struck Wildberries sites across Russia since mid-July. The company is a major online retail platform, and attacks on its infrastructure appear aimed at disrupting Russian commerce and logistics.
In the Yaroslavl region, about 250 kilometres north of Moscow, Governor Mikhail Yevrayev described what he called the 'most massive attack' against the area. He said 92 drones had been shot down, with falling debris causing fires in houses and damaging cars.
The latest reported drone offensive comes more than four years after Russia launched its large-scale offensive against Ukraine. Diplomatic efforts to end the war remain at a standstill, and both sides have intensified long-range strikes, raising the toll of civilian casualties.
Ukraine has regularly used drones to strike targets deep inside Russian territory, including military facilities, fuel depots, and infrastructure. Moscow has responded with missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. The United Nations and other international bodies have repeatedly called for restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law.
Independent verification of battlefield claims is difficult, as both Kyiv and Moscow routinely report figures that cannot be confirmed by third parties. The Russian defence ministry's statement did not mention any casualties resulting from the overnight interceptions.
The escalation in drone warfare highlights the changing nature of the conflict, with both sides relying increasingly on long-range unmanned systems. Analysts note that such strikes are likely to continue as diplomatic avenues remain frozen.
