In the early hours of today, the Russian Federation was subjected to one of the most intense waves of air attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) since the beginning of the year. After midnight (00:00 Moscow time), explosions and large-scale fires were recorded in a number of regions, including in the immediate vicinity of the capital Moscow and in the Leningrad region. The main focus of the strikes is on energy security and supply chains.
Fiery inferno in Moscow region: Oil base strikes
At around 4:00 am, loud detonations shook the outskirts of the Russian capital. According to data published by the Kyiv Independent media agency, Ukrainian long-range drones struck a large oil terminal and storage facility in the Moscow region. The direct hits caused a massive fire, with plumes of black smoke visible for miles.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the activation of the densest air defense network around the capital, including new Pantsir-SMD-E roof-mounted systems mounted on civilian buildings. The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) urgently imposed temporary flight restrictions at Moscow's four international airports.
Tensions in Leningrad Region: Attack on Baltic Terminals
In parallel with the attack on Moscow, heavy explosions were also reported in the Leningrad Region. Kamikaze drones have targeted critical logistics infrastructure in the St. Petersburg region. Local sources report the activation of air defenses in the area of key commercial ports that Russia uses to export energy raw materials. Due to the danger of drones entering neighboring airspace, emergency security measures and restrictions on shipping were introduced in the early hours of the morning in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland.
Chronology of other targets hit after midnight (July 18)
In addition to the attack on the Wildberries logistics center in the Tambov region, the following destinations came under fire after midnight:
- The annexed Crimean peninsula: Pro-Russian and Ukrainian monitoring channels (including Crimean Wind) report a series of powerful explosions in several cities. A large fire has been reported at the Kerch railway station, where freight cars and warehouses are burning, possibly damaging logistics on the peninsula. Additional detonations were heard in Koktebel and Feodosia.
- Saratov Region: The strategic military airport “Engels-2“, located over 600 km from the border with Ukraine, was again attacked. The authorities have imposed restrictions on the airport in Saratov.
- Other regions: Rosaviatsia announced the imposition of emergency plans “Kilim“ and closing the airspace over the airports in Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Samara, Ivanovo, Yaroslavl and Cherepovets.
The Ukrainian side traditionally justifies its attacks in the rear with the argument that the destruction of oil and storage infrastructure deprives the Russian army of fuel and funding for conducting military operations.