**Moscow Mayor Shares Details of Recent Ukrainian Drone Activity in the Region**
In a recent update, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that Ukraine has launched nearly 1,900 drones towards the Moscow Region over the past week. The mayor shared a map illustrating the drone raids and provided details on the interception efforts by air defense systems. His statements come in the wake of a Ukrainian drone attack that targeted two logistics centers, resulting in multiple casualties.
According to Sobyanin's post on Telegram, from July 11 to July 18, a total of 1,892 drones were sent towards the Moscow Region, which is situated approximately 450 kilometers from the ongoing conflict frontlines. The mayor noted that most of these drones were intercepted successfully before reaching the capital, with air defenses neutralizing the majority of them. Specifically, he mentioned that only 207 drones were shot down closer to Moscow.
On the evening prior to his update, Sobyanin reported that over 370 drones had approached the capital and its surrounding areas, with 64 of them being intercepted near Moscow. This uptick in drone activity reflects a significant escalation in Ukraine's drone campaign, which has increasingly targeted various locations across Russia.
The mayor's comments followed a drone strike that hit two logistics hubs operated by Wildberries, a prominent Russian online retailer often compared to Amazon. The attacks occurred in Kotovsk, Tambov Region, and Elektrostal, near Moscow. The strike in Tambov resulted in the deaths of seven employees working the night shift, with 25 others sustaining injuries. Local governor Evgeny Pervyshov stated that the drones used in the attack were equipped with shrapnel to maximize civilian casualties.
In Elektrostal, the drone strike led to one fatality and 37 injuries, according to local authorities. Additionally, a drone incident in Noginsk, also within the Moscow Region, caused a fire at an oil depot, injuring two individuals.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the drone strikes aimed at the Wildberries logistics centers were intentional, asserting that these facilities were storing components subject to sanctions for drone and navigation equipment.
The recent surge in drone activity is part of a broader strategy by Ukraine to target critical infrastructure within Russia, including oil refineries and civilian structures. Moscow has condemned these actions as "terrorist" attacks, emphasizing that its own retaliatory strikes are focused solely on military-related targets and not on civilian populations.
As the situation continues to evolve, both local and international observers remain vigilant regarding the implications of these drone raids and their potential impact on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.