Additional Coverage:
- The Moscow region is hit by almost 800 drones as Russian missiles kill 10 in a Ukrainian village (pbs.org)
KYIV, Ukraine – Ukrainian forces carried out one of their largest drone offensives against Russia since the beginning of the conflict over four years ago, deploying nearly 800 drones just two days after a similarly massive strike, officials reported Tuesday.
At the same time, a Russian missile attack targeted a village in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, killing at least 10 people and injuring 17 others as homes were destroyed, according to local authorities.
Both sides remain locked in an intensifying battle of long-range aerial strikes. Along the approximately 780-mile front stretching across eastern and southern Ukraine, drone and ground robot activity has severely restricted troop movements, with analysts noting little significant change in territorial control.
Putin Resists Calls for Peace Talks
Over the past year, Ukraine has developed and deployed domestically produced long-range drones capable of striking deep inside Russia. This technological advancement has drawn international attention from governments and defense manufacturers alike.
Kyiv aims to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin by bringing the conflict’s consequences closer to the Russian public, hoping to push him toward peace negotiations. So far, Putin has shown no indication of halting the invasion.
“Putin continues to prolong the war instead of accepting Ukraine’s realistic ceasefire proposals and ending the bloodshed,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a social media post.
According to Moscow’s Defense Ministry, Russian air defenses intercepted 791 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions, including annexed Crimea and the Black and Azov seas. This marked the second-largest drone attack since January 2025, based on Associated Press data.
In the Moscow region alone, more than 600 Ukrainian drones were detected, with authorities claiming 180 were shot down. No deaths or major damage were reported, though three people were wounded in the area, according to Governor Andrei Vorobyov. The neighboring Ryazan region also reported injuries and damage to three private homes.
The drone barrage ignited a fire at a warehouse belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, located in an industrial zone. Ukraine has previously targeted the company, alleging it supports the Russian military-a claim Moscow denies. Wildberries described the damage as “insignificant.”
Russian Media Downplay the Attack
Coverage of the drone strike was notably subdued in Russian state and Kremlin-aligned media outlets. Major television channels such as Russia 1 and Channel One omitted mention of the attack during their morning news programs.
However, the state news agency RIA Novosti featured the event prominently on its website, calling it “one of the largest attacks on Moscow since the start of summer.” The state newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta also highlighted statements from the Moscow regional governor, describing the strike as “massive,” while the pro-Kremlin tabloid MK briefly noted the attack on its homepage.
Zelenskyy Condemns ‘Brutal Attack’ on Civilians
In Ukraine, the missile strike on the village of Pechenihy in Kharkiv region resulted in 10 civilian deaths and 17 injuries, according to Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the assault as “a brutal attack” that damaged multiple homes, a cafe, a post office, a store, and several vehicles. “We will definitely respond to this Russian strike,” he affirmed on social media.
Additionally, Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian attacks in the Sumy region over the past day killed three people and wounded three others.
UK Reaffirms Support for Ukraine
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who took office last month, reiterated the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts, following Russian warnings about Kyiv’s reported use of British-made drones for strikes on Russian territory.
“We are providing support so that Ukraine can defend itself, and that’s been the British position throughout this conflict,” Burnham stated. “It remains the case with me.”
A recent report indicated that two UK companies supplied drones used by Ukraine in attacks against Russia. In response, the Russian Embassy in London warned that “London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov added on state television that Moscow reserves the right to view British involvement in these strikes as “participation in the war, with all the ensuing consequences.”
- Reporting contributed by correspondents in Lisbon and London.