Ukraine Launches 200 Drones at Moscow as Russia Says It Downed 375 Overnight
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 16
Ukraine Launches 200 Drones at Moscow as Russia Says It Downed 375 Overnight
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 16
Summary
At least 200 Ukrainian drones flew toward the Moscow region overnight, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said, with 10 destroyed on approach to the capital and most intercepted farther out.
Russia's Defense Ministry put the broader barrage at 375 drones shot down across 18 regions, Crimea, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, prompting temporary flight restrictions at all four Moscow airports and several regional hubs.
The attack fits a sharp expansion in Kyiv's long-range drone campaign: Sobyanin has reported more than 1,200 drones aimed at Moscow in the past week and 1,420 downed near the city so far in 2026, versus 734 in all of 2025.
Ukraine also appeared to hit Engels-2 airbase in Saratov, where a Ukrainian official said "Engels is on fire," while Russia launched 18 missiles and 146 drones at Ukraine, killing at least two people in Kyiv.
With its refineries burning and air defenses failing, what is Russia's next move to counter Ukraine's drone supremacy?
As Ukraine's drone tech outpaces Russian defenses, is the collapse of Russia's oil-fueled war economy now simply a matter of time?
How Ukraine’s 2026 Drone Campaign Reshaped Russian Defenses and Global Military Doctrine
Overview
On July 15-16, 2026, a major drone attack struck several Russian regions, notably damaging civilian infrastructure in Engles, a city with a strategically important airbase that has faced repeated Ukrainian strikes. This event highlights Ukraine’s shift from improvised drone use to a fully integrated military doctrine, enabling expanded and more effective operations deep inside Russia. The evolving campaign aims to disrupt Russia’s war economy and logistics, while Russia is forced to adapt its defenses. The incident reflects how drone warfare is reshaping both the conflict’s immediate impact and the broader strategies of modern war.