Ukraine's drone blitz hits Russian warehouses, kills 8 as Kyiv expands 'long-range sanctions' campaign

Ukraine carried out one of its deadliest long-range drone operations inside Russia since the war began, striking major logistics centres in the Moscow and Tambov regions overnight and killing at least eight people, according to Russian authorities. The attack marks a significant expansion of Kyiv's campaign to disrupt Russia's economic and military supply chains far beyond the battlefield.

The strikes targeted two logistics facilities operated by Wildberries, Russia's largest e-commerce company, triggering massive fires that sent thick black smoke billowing across the Moscow region for hours. Russian officials said seven workers were killed at a warehouse in Tambov, while another person later died after a separate strike in the Moscow region. Nearly 90 people were reported injured.

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The overnight barrage also targeted an oil depot near Moscow, while an empty kindergarten in Elektrostal sustained damage without causing casualties.

Kyiv says logistics hubs supported Russia's war effort

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the operation as part of Ukraine's expanding "long-range sanctions" campaign, a strategy aimed at degrading Russia's military-industrial capacity by striking infrastructure deep inside its territory.

According to Zelenskyy, the warehouses were being used to store sanctioned electronic components and navigation equipment required for Russian drone production. Moscow has not confirmed those claims.

Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range drones to target oil refineries, fuel depots and logistics hubs across Russia, arguing that such attacks are a direct response to years of Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.

The latest assault comes after weeks of attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure that have contributed to fuel shortages across much of the country. Reports indicate that disruptions to fuel supplies have affected a large majority of Russian regions, forcing motorists to queue at petrol stations in an unusual development for one of the world's largest oil producers.

War continues despite shifting battlefield dynamics

While drone warfare has intensified away from the front lines, fighting inside Ukraine continues. Russian strikes reportedly killed at least five people and injured nearly 20 others across southeastern parts of the country on Saturday.

At the same time, domestic political tensions have surfaced in Ukraine following President Zelenskyy's decision to remove Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in a surprise government reshuffle. The move has triggered rare public protests in several major cities, with demonstrators questioning the timing of the leadership change as the war enters another critical phase.

On the battlefield, neither side has achieved a decisive breakthrough in recent weeks. Analysts say Russia's summer offensive has slowed, while Ukraine has increasingly shifted its focus towards long-range strikes intended to weaken Moscow's logistical capabilities and impose economic costs far from the front.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled. US-led initiatives have lost momentum in recent weeks as Washington's strategic focus shifted towards the escalating confrontation with Iran, leaving prospects for renewed peace negotiations uncertain.