A new series of Ukrainian drone attacks was registered on Russian territory in the early hours of July 19.
Between 00:00 and 07:30 in the morning Bulgarian time, Ukrainian forces directed their air strikes at key energy and logistics facilities of the Russian Federation. The attacks forced the activation of air defense systems in several southern regions.
Fire in Stavropol Territory and blockade of the Crimean Bridge
The main incident of the previous night was registered deep in the rear of the Russian logistics:
- A strike on oil infrastructure: After 02:00 this morning, Ukrainian kamikaze drones successfully attacked an oil depot in the Stavropol Territory, causing a large-scale fire. Local emergency services are working to contain the fire.
- Traffic halt in Crimea: Due to the imminent threat of new aerial and maritime drones, Russian authorities have completely halted vehicle traffic on the Crimean Bridge. The blockade remained in place throughout the night and early Sunday morning for security reasons.
Damage and casualties in Moscow and Tambov regions since yesterday
The main strikes hit two large-scale logistics centers of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries:
- City of Kotovsk (Tambov Region): A direct drone strike on a warehouse killed seven night shift employees and injured another 25. Local governor Yevgeny Pervishov confirmed in a statement that the fire had been contained after hours of firefighting.
- City of Elektrostal (Moscow Region): A second warehouse of the same company was severely damaged, leading to huge clouds of black smoke over the region. Debris from downed equipment caused damage to a residential building and a kindergarten. Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported a total of 61 injured citizens in the region, one of whom later died in hospital.
- City of Noginsk: A burning oil depot supplying the Russian armed forces was set on fire by falling debris, forcing the emergency evacuation of a nearby maternity hospital.
Official positions from Kiev and Moscow
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in an official statement that the strikes were part of a strategy to impose "long-term sanctions" by air. According to Kiev, the hit logistics hubs were used by the Russian military to supply components for military drones and navigation equipment, bypassing international embargoes.
For its part, the Russian authorities define the attacks as terrorist acts against civilian infrastructure. In a swift response, the Russian military launched a massive retaliatory wave of ballistic missiles at the Ukrainian capital Kiev shortly after 01:30 local time.