Waves of Ukrainian drones targeted a massive logistics center outside Moscow overnight, leaving it ablaze with dark smoke rising into the sky the following morning. The attack on what was one of Russia's largest retail warehouses is part of Ukraine's evolving strategy to strike deep inside Russian territory.
Hundreds of miles away, Ukrainian drone crews were preparing for further strikes. Soldiers from the 413th "Raid" Unmanned Systems Regiment were observed assembling and launching approximately 20 small, explosive-laden drones toward Russia on a Sunday morning. This operation offered a rare glimpse into a rapidly expanding aspect of Ukraine's war effort.
Ukraine has increased its attacks on Russia this year, employing long-range missiles and drone swarms against military industries and energy facilities. The targeting of large retail depots, such as the Wildberries facility attacked near Moscow, has reportedly resulted in billions of dollars worth of merchandise being destroyed. These strikes aim to bring the war home to the Russian public and force Moscow to divert air defenses to protect a wider area.
According to the regiment's commander, Yevhen Karas, his unit participated in the strike on the Wildberries warehouse, located about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Moscow. He stated that Ukraine needs to inflict consequences on the Kremlin to achieve a stable peace. Karas believes that by making ordinary Russians feel the cost of the war through economic disruption, Moscow might be pressured into negotiating an end to the conflict, although Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no indication of ceasing hostilities.
Karas, a former philosophy student who volunteered after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, lost his brother defending the Kyiv region. He rose through the ranks to command the 413th Raid Unmanned Systems Regiment, which evolved from reconnaissance and battlefield tasks to long-range operations using domestically produced FP-1 drones capable of flying over a thousand miles. The unit's members come from diverse civilian backgrounds, including an opera singer, a computer programmer, a rapper, and a cellist.
The unit's insignia, a stylized three-prong arrow, is featured on their challenge coin, with a depiction of the Kremlin in flames and a drone flying over it on the reverse side. Commander Karas suggested that Muscovites should anticipate nights spent in their metro system, drawing a parallel to Kyiv residents seeking shelter from Russian attacks.
Following the drone launch, the soldiers dismantled their equipment and departed, leaving minimal trace of their activity as they prepared for subsequent operations.