Ukraine fired more than 600 drones toward Moscow and its surrounding region overnight into 18 August 2026, marking a continuation of intensified strikes on Russian territory following even larger attacks over the preceding weekend. Russian officials said air defences intercepted 180 of the drones over the Moscow region, while at least three people were injured in the assault, according to regional reports.
According to , 620 drones were detected heading toward the Moscow region between Monday evening and 5 a.m., with 180 shot down over the capital area itself. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the same figures, as reported by NV. described the assault as one of the largest Ukrainian air attacks on the Russian capital to date.
What was damaged in the attack?
A warehouse belonging to the Russian e-commerce company Wildberries near Moscow was struck and caught fire, according to regional officials cited by NV, corroborating earlier reporting from that drones had hit the facility along with other sites nearby. Moscow airports temporarily restricted flights during the overnight barrage, reported, disrupting air traffic in the capital region.
Who was hurt?
At least three people sustained injuries in the overnight strikes, and Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said a 10-year-old girl was among those hurt, according to . Separately, Russian strikes on other fronts caused casualties as well: at least 10 people were killed in an attack on Pechenigy, a village in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, which Ukrainian officials say hit private homes and shops.
Were other regions affected?
Beyond the Moscow area, several Russian-controlled regions reported heavy drone activity, including occupied Crimea, where the peninsula's power supplier reported outages. The Institute for the Study of War has noted that Ukrainian forces have continued intermediate-range strikes against Russian military assets and energy infrastructure in occupied Crimea and Kherson Oblast, including sites used for drone control and signal repeating, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
How does this compare with recent attacks?
The overnight assault follows a similar strike two days earlier: on 16 August 2026, Ukrainian drones hit the Moscow region and killed an 83-year-old man, with a Wildberries warehouse also struck at that time, according to . On the same day, Russia's Defence Ministry said it had downed 822 Ukrainian drones nationwide, underscoring the scale of Ukraine's sustained drone campaign against Russian territory.
What happens next?
Moscow's airports faced temporary flight restrictions during the latest attack, according to , suggesting further disruption to air travel is possible if Ukraine's drone campaign continues at this intensity. No specific date for a following strike or official response has been confirmed in current reporting. Separately, wildfires continue to affect parts of Europe, including Belgium and Greece, after a difficult day on 17 August 2026, with further updates expected throughout the day.
Key Facts
- Ukraine launched over 600 drones toward Moscow and surrounding areas overnight into 18 August 2026.
- Russian air defences intercepted 180 drones over the Moscow region; three people were injured, including a 10-year-old girl.
- A Wildberries warehouse near Moscow caught fire after being struck; Moscow airports briefly restricted flights.
- At least 10 people died in a separate Russian strike on Pechenigy in Ukraine's Kharkiv region.
- On 16 August 2026, a similar strike killed an 83-year-old man near Moscow, while Russia reported downing 822 drones nationwide that day.
