Ukraine Unleashes 822 Drones on Russia, Six Killed in Widespread Strikes

Ukraine launched one of its largest aerial attacks of the war against Russia early Sunday, with Moscow saying its air defences destroyed or intercepted 822 Ukrainian drones during the overnight assault. Russian officials said around 600 drones were detected heading towards Moscow, with 201 reportedly intercepted over the Moscow region. The figures are Russian claims and could not be independently verified.

The barrage killed at least six people in Russia. Five were reported killed in the Rostov region, where more than 150 drones reportedly struck three towns, damaging homes and a railway station. In the Moscow region, an 83-year-old man was killed after a drone hit a private residence. A major Wildberries logistics warehouse near Podolsk also caught fire.

Kyiv has not confirmed launching all 822 drones claimed by Russia. However, Ukraine's Defence Ministry confirmed the strike on the Wildberries facility, saying the logistics centre had been put out of operation. Ukraine also claimed to have struck a missile-fuel facility in Russia's Rostov region.

The escalation comes amid growing concerns about a wider NATO confrontation. On Sunday, a Spanish F-18 fighter operating under a NATO air-policing mission shot down a drone that entered Romanian airspace. NATO officials said the drone appeared to be Russian. Although the incident was contained, repeated airspace violations along NATO's eastern flank raise the risk of an accidental escalation between Russia and the alliance.

The attacks also come as peace efforts remain stalled. No Russia-Ukraine peace talks have taken place since February, while the Kremlin said last month there was no immediate prospect of renewed negotiations, despite remaining open to diplomacy.

The latest exchange underscores how long-range drone warfare is intensifying even as diplomatic efforts remain frozen, raising fresh concerns over civilian casualties and the possibility of the conflict spilling further beyond Ukraine's borders.