Six Killed in Overnight Drone Attacks; Fire Engulfs Moscow Region Warehouse

A major drone attack on the Moscow region in the early hours of Friday caused a large fire at a Wildberries logistics facility and resulted in at least six deaths across Russia, according to the Associated Press.

The attack, which the Moscow regional governor described as one of the largest on the region in recent memory, involved multiple drones reportedly heading towards the capital. The Wildberries warehouse in Koledino, about 45 km south of Moscow, was set ablaze, with thick smoke rising into the sky. Another logistics site in Domodedovo, near one of Moscow's main airports, also sustained damage, Reuters reported.

Moscow Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said air-defence and electronic-warfare systems had "shot down or neutralised 187 UAVs" across several districts, including Domodedovo and Podolsk. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 600 drones were heading towards the capital, while Russia's Defence Ministry reported downing 822 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight.

Wildberries confirmed the fire in a Telegram post, stating that employees had been evacuated beforehand in line with safety procedures. "Logistics operations have been rerouted; the acceptance of deliveries and the dispatch of orders are being handled at other facilities," the company said. It gave no immediate estimate of the financial damage or when normal operations would resume.

Video footage shared on social media showed flames spreading across part of the warehouse complex, with a large plume of smoke visible above the surrounding area. The cause of the fire was attributed to the drone attack, though officials did not elaborate on the extent of the structural damage.

The incident is part of an ongoing series of drone strikes that have reached deeper into Russian territory as the war in Ukraine continues. Wildberries, often described as "Russia's Amazon," has been a recurring target in recent weeks. Ukrainian authorities have alleged that the company's logistics facilities have been used to move military-related equipment, including drone components. Russia has denied these allegations, according to the BBC.

Wildberries, founded in 2004 and led by entrepreneur Tatyana Kim, is Russia's largest online retailer, offering storage, payment and delivery services to sellers. The company has faced growing disruption, with several of its logistics sites hit in previous attacks, raising concerns about the security of critical infrastructure in the Moscow region.

At least six people were killed in the overnight attacks across Russia, the Associated Press reported, though it was not immediately clear whether all fatalities occurred in the Moscow region. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the strikes, and Kyiv has not officially claimed responsibility, which is typical in such incidents.

The Moscow region, which includes the capital's financial and administrative centres, has seen an increase in drone attacks in recent months, with Russian authorities regularly reporting the downing of aerial targets. The attacks underscore the escalating nature of the conflict as both sides continue to strike at infrastructure away from the front lines.