The Kotovsk strike

Ukrainian drones struck a Wildberries logistics centre in the small western Russian town of Kotovsk overnight on 17-18 July 2026, killing seven night-shift employees and wounding 24 others, according to Tambov region governor Evguéni Pervyshov. The governor confirmed the casualties via his Telegram channel, stating the fire that broke out at the depot had been extinguished, though firefighters remained on site. Wildberries is described by local sources as Russia's e-commerce logistics giant.

“Seven night employees were killed when enemy drones struck a Wildberries logistics centre.”

The attack is part of a months-long intensification of Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil, with Kyiv focusing on logistics and hydrocarbon infrastructure in an attempt to choke Moscow's war financing.

Moscow air defence scramble

Simultaneously, the Moscow region faced a mass drone wave. Mayor Sergueï Sobianine reported on Telegram that over 370 drones had flown toward the Moscow region from 8.30 pm local time onwards. Most were intercepted by air defences while still at a distance, he said, adding that 64 enemy drones were destroyed on the approach to the capital itself.

“Since 8.30 pm, more than 370 drones have flown in the direction of the Moscow region. Most were shot down by air defences while still far away. Sixty-four enemy drones were destroyed on the approach to Moscow.”

No damage or casualties in the Moscow area were confirmed in the immediate aftermath.

Broader air war context

The overnight operations in western Russia occurred alongside Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory. In Odesa, a Russian missile hit residential buildings, vehicles, and civilian infrastructure, killing two people and wounding eight, including two children, according to deputy mayor Oleksandre Filatov. Emergency services said a woman walking in a park with children was among the dead; the children survived and are receiving aid. The Kherson region saw one fatality and five injuries from a drone attack, governor Iaroslav Chanko reported. In Kharkiv, local authorities said one person died and eight were wounded, including two children, in Russian bombardments.

Kotovsk (Russia)7

Odesa (Ukraine)2

Kherson (Ukraine)1

Kharkiv (Ukraine)1

Kotovsk (Russia)

7 people

Odesa (Ukraine)

2 people

Kherson (Ukraine)

1 people

Kharkiv (Ukraine)

1 people

Data from the article text

Ukrainian strategic calculus

Ukraine has increasingly struck at logistics nodes and energy-related infrastructure inside Russia over recent months, aiming to disrupt the supply chains and revenue streams that sustain Moscow's war effort. The targeting of a Wildberries facility, a major civilian logistics employer, marks a continuation of that deep-strike campaign. The scale of the Moscow-bound drone wave, more than 370 units in a single night, represents one of the largest single-night aerial attack volumes reported against the Russian capital region since the conflict began.

What comes next

Governor Pervyshov stated the fire at the Kotovsk depot is under control but firefighting operations persist. No official Ukrainian comment on the strikes was available at the time of reporting. The Russian Ministry of Defence has not yet issued consolidated casualty or interception figures for the wider overnight wave.