Russia has come under a major aerial attack from Ukraine for the second night in a row as a swarm of at least 620 drones targeted the Moscow region, according to mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The onslaught of drones forced Moscow to temporarily restrict flights at its airports, he said, adding that Russian forces downed at least 180 drones in the region overnight.
Earlier Russia threatened the UK with unspecified "consequences" after accusing Ukraine of using British-made drones to strike targets deep inside Russian territory.
The Russian embassy in the UK claimed these attacks involved British drones and that the UK was “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis”.
"London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer," it said.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told BBC News that Britain stands “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine.
"Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this Government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies," the spokesperson said.
Read MoreRussia warns of ‘consequences’ after UK-made drones strike its mainland
Russia fires top economist after he compares Putin’s economy to 1917 revolution
Russia expanding secret bases that can launch drones deep inside Nato territory: report
Russia jails opposition politician for 11 years over Ukraine war criticism
Huge inferno engulfs ‘Russian Amazon’ Wildberries after Ukraine’s largest ever drone strike
Key Points
- UK responds after Russia fumes over British-made drones
- Russia downs 180 drones in Moscow region overnight
- Drone hits another Wildberries warehouse near Moscow
- Russia says it hits two cargo vessels in Ukrainian ports, RIA reports
- Zelensky urges G7 to stop critical supplies reaching Russia - watch
Kyiv 'will definitely respond' to Russian strike on Kharkiv, says president
10:15 , Suha KidwaiPresident Zelensky has said that Ukraine “will definitely respond to this Russian strike," referring to a an attack which killed 10 people in Kharkiv on Tuesday morning.
This morning, the Russians launched a brutal attack on a busy intersection in Pechenihy, Kharkiv region – a location with a post office and stores, surrounded only by residential buildings.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 18, 2026
As of now, 10 people have been reported killed. My condolences to their families and… pic.twitter.com/AnFmXsSzAS
In a post on X, the leader added that the “brutal” strike was in a residential area, sharing photos of the damage.
Ukraine announces new T40 drone
09:45 , Suha KidwaiThe Ukrainian ministry of defence has codified a new precision-strike drone, capable of reaching Siberia.
The Dovbush T40 drone is an unmanned aircraft described to have one of the highest rates of effectiveness by the Ukrainian ministry of defence.
In a post on X, ministry officials said that the new drone highlights the growth of Ukraine’s long-range military capabilities.
Built in Ukraine. Designed for strategic depth.
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) August 17, 2026
The Dovbush T40 is a multifunctional unmanned aircraft with a nearly 5 m wingspan, 24+ hours of endurance and a range capable of reaching targets far beyond the frontline.
Reconnaissance, fire adjustment and precision strikes,…
The UK will 'pay the price' for supporting Ukraine, warns Russia
09:15 , Suha Kidwai"London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer," the Russian embassy has said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel.
"The deeper its involvement in the conflict and the greater its support for Kiev's terrorist machinery, the higher the price it will pay."
The comments come after the publication of a previously-reported on Sunday Times article that states British-built drones were used for long-range strikes against Russia for the first time on Tuesday.
In response, a British defence ministry spokesperson has said: "Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and we are committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against Putin's illegal invasion."
In June, Britain had pledged to provide 150,000 drones to Ukraine by the end of 2026 as part of a £752 million ($996 million) funding package.
Russia has faced 1.47 million losses since start of war, according to latest tally
08:45 , Suha KidwaiRussia has lost approximately 1.47 million men over the course of the war, Kyiv has said.
In a post on X, Ukraine’s ministry of defence estimates that the number of Russian personnel killed now sits just below 1.5 million.
The new tally comes after a second overnight barrage of Ukrainian strikes into mainland Russia.
Russian missile attack kills 10 in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, governor says
08:15 , Suha KidwaiA Russian missile attack has killed 10 people and injured a further eight in a village in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, the regional governor said on Tuesday.
The strike on the village of Pechenihy has damaged 10 private buildings, a cafe, a post office, a shop and at least seven cars, residents have told Reuters.
Russia tells North Korea they are making 'new and righteous world order'
07:54 , Arpan RaiRussian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has hailed North Korea's role in fighting to eject Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region, writing in a letter that they succeeded in driving out a "Ukrainian Nazi clique".
North Korea and Russia are working to establish a "new and righteous world order," Lavrov wrote in a letter to North Korean foreign minister Choe Son Hui, according to the North's state news agency KCNA this morning.
Pyongyang has deployed troops to Russia since late 2024, when it helped Moscow retake a portion of Kursk that had been captured by a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Vladimir Putin's regime routinely calls the Ukrainian administration “neo-Nazis,” even though the country has a Jewish president who lost relatives in the Holocaust and who heads a Western-backed, democratically elected government.
Putin has vowed to fight on in Ukraine until Moscow secures the country's "demilitarisation", "denazification" and neutrality, unless Kyiv accepts a deal that achieves those goals.
Moldova condemns violation of airspace and explosion of aerial object
07:19 , Arpan RaiMoldova's foreign ministry has condemned the violation of the country's airspace by an unidentified aerial object that later exploded on Monday.
Moldova shares a border with Ukraine and is a supporter of Kyiv. It has dealt with numerous incidents of drones flying over its territory and debris near the border since the start of Russia's full-scale war.
The aerial object entered Moldovan airspace at 1737 local time (1437 GMT) and exploded shortly after, near the settlement of Talmaza, close to the border with Ukraine, Moldovan authorities said.
The explosion set grass on fire but there were no casualties, they said. They did not identify the origin of the object.
"This incident constitutes a serious violation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova and poses a direct risk to the safety of our citizens. Such incidents are unacceptable," the foreign ministry said in its statement.
EU plans most far-reaching sanctions against Russia in coming months, says Kallas
07:11 , Arpan RaiThe European Union intends to significantly expand sanctions against Russia in the coming months over its war in Ukraine, the bloc's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, told a German newspaper.
“EU sanctions have already cost Russia dearly, depriving Russia's war machine of over €1trn ($1.16trn) and for autumn I am putting forward the most far-reaching sanctions listings since the start of the war," she told Die Welt.
"Once adopted, they would immediately raise the total number of sanctioned Russian entities by a third. The pressure must keep growing until Moscow ends its war," said Kallas, who leads the European External Action Service (EEAS) – the EU's diplomatic service.
She did not elaborate on timing or details of the new designations, but EU diplomatic sources later told Reuters the EEAS would propose about 1,600 individuals and entities based in Russia and focused on Moscow's military industrial complex.
The designations will include travel and transaction bans as well as asset freezes, they added. The EU has already listed nearly 3,000 people and companies.
Russia warns of ‘consequences’ after UK-made drones strike its mainland
06:56 , Arpan RaiRussia has warned Britain of "consequences" following reports that British-built drones were deployed to hit targets on its mainland for the first time.
According to the Sunday Times, Ukrainian forces used unmanned aircraft manufactured by two UK companies as part of a deep strike campaign.
Kyiv has stepped up operations inside Russia this year, increasingly deploying long-range missiles and drone swarms against military industries and energy facilities.
Russia warns of ‘consequences’ after UK-made drones strike its mainland
Moscow region targeted with more than 600 drones overnight
06:25 , Arpan RaiA major swarm of at least 620 drones was heading for the region surrounding the Russian capital between Monday evening and 5am (0200 GMT), said mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
He said Moscow was temporarily restricting flights at its airports.
Russian downed 180 drones in the Moscow region overnight, said Sobyanin, confirming one of the biggest Ukrainian air attacks on the capital.
Drones hit a warehouse of Russian e-commerce company Wildberries and other facilities near Moscow, regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said separately, adding that at least three people, including a 10-year-old girl, were injured in the region.
Watch: Zelensky urges G7 to stop critical supplies reaching Russia
06:05 , Arpan RaiRussia expanding secret bases that can launch drones deep inside Nato territory
05:59 , Arpan RaiRussia has built secret bases from which it will be able to launch long-range suicide drones deep into Nato territory, according to a report.
The Kremlin has built and expanded at least 10 new bases with at least 59 new launch rails, according to an investigation by The Telegraph using satellite imagery and leaked documents.
The bases are designed to fire large numbers of jet-powered drones that can overload Ukrainian air defences as Moscow bombards military and civilian targets across the country.
But situated along its borders with Ukraine and Belarus, the hi-tech drones will also be able to reach Kyiv’s allies in Nato, the report said.
Russia expanding secret bases that can launch drones deep inside Nato territory
Watch: Wildberries logistics centres hit in Ukraine's biggest drone strike of the year
05:40 , Arpan RaiDrone hits another Wildberries warehouse near Moscow
04:55 , Arpan RaiA drone has hit a warehouse of Russian e-commerce company Wildberries near Moscow and caused a fire at the site, regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said.
He said the fire has now been extinguished but the drone attack damaged other buildings, including private houses, apartment buildings, shops and a power station.
At least three people were injured in the attack, he said.
In the past month, Ukraine has hit at least seven of the 10 largest Wildberries warehouses, which it says is complicit in Moscow’s war against Kyiv.
UK says it stands ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Ukraine after Russia fumes over British drones
04:44 , Arpan RaiBritain has said it stands united with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression after Moscow fumed over British-made drones being used in strikes on Russia.
The Russian embassy in the UK on Monday accused London of complicity in aiding Ukraine with drones that are hitting targets deep inside Russian territory.
The UK, it said, is “deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis”.
"In doing so, the United Kingdom is acting as an accomplice and co-perpetrator of the bloody crimes and terrorist attacks," the Russian Embassy to the UK said.
It added: "London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer," and the deeper its involvement in the conflict, "the higher the price it will pay".
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told BBC News that Britain stands “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine.
"Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this Government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies," the spokesperson said.
The UK was "committed to providing the equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself against [Russian president Vladimir] Putin's illegal invasion," they said.
Russia tells North Korea they are making 'new and righteous world order'
04:32 , Arpan RaiRussian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has hailed North Korea's role in fighting to eject Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region, writing in a letter that they succeeded in driving out a "Ukrainian Nazi clique".
North Korea and Russia are working to establish a "new and righteous world order," Lavrov wrote in a letter to North Korean foreign minister Choe Son Hui, according to the North's state news agency KCNA this morning.
Pyongyang has deployed troops to Russia since late 2024, when it helped Moscow retake a portion of Kursk that had been captured by a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Vladimir Putin's regime routinely calls the Ukrainian administration “neo-Nazis,” even though the country has a Jewish president who lost relatives in the Holocaust and who heads a Western-backed, democratically elected government.
Putin has vowed to fight on in Ukraine until Moscow secures the country's "demilitarisation", "denazification" and neutrality, unless Kyiv accepts a deal that achieves those goals.
Russia fires top economist after he compares Putin’s economy to 1917 revolution
04:25 , Arpan RaiThe chief economist of a Russian state development bank has been fired after reportedly drawing comparisons between Russia’s present day economy and the 1917 revolution.
Andrei Klepach, one of Russia's most prominent macroeconomists who worked for VEB, made the remarks to a financial forum in May. They were reported by Russian media only last week.
He warned that the country was falling behind the West and China and suffering mounting economic damage from the war in Ukraine, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Russia fires top economist after he compares Putin’s economy to 1917 revolution
Russia downs 180 drones in Moscow region overnight
04:03 , Arpan RaiRussian forces have downed at least 180 drones in the Moscow region overnight, the capital's mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in the early hours today.
Overall, 620 drones were heading for the region surrounding the Russian capital between Monday evening and 5am, he said.
Pictured: A resident collects things from a private house damaged during a Russian missile and drone strike in Odesa
03:00 , Bryony Gooch
Huge inferno engulfs ‘Russian Amazon’ Wildberries after Ukraine strike
02:00 , Bryony Gooch
Huge inferno engulfs ‘Russian Amazon’ after Ukraine’s largest ever drone strike
Watch: Nine injured in Russian attack on Ukraine's Odesa region
01:00 , Bryony GoochRussia jails opposition politician for 11 years over war criticism
Tuesday 18 August 2026 00:00 , Bryony Gooch
Russia jails opposition politician for 11 years over Ukraine war criticism
Pictured: Workers dismount a Soviet Union era monument to the Communards in Dnipro
Monday 17 August 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch
Italy sees no sign of Russian link to Colleferro munitions blast, minister says
Monday 17 August 2026 22:00 , Bryony GoochItaly's government has seen nothing to suggest that Russia was behind last week's explosion at a munitions plant near Rome, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto was quoted as saying on Monday.
The blast struck a KNDS Ammo Italy factory in Colleferro, southeast of Rome, on Thursday after firefighters had already been called to tackle a fire at the site. No injuries were reported.
While the government has not commented on reports that the plant produces ammunition for Ukraine, Crosetto sought to dampen speculation that Russian sabotage was behind the explosion.
"There is no indication to anyone that this could be anything other than an internal problem," Crosetto told Italian news agency Adnkronos.
Meet the grandmothers caring for Ukraine’s stray animals
Monday 17 August 2026 21:00 , Bryony Gooch
‘They won’t survive without us’: The grandmothers caring for Ukraine’s stray animals
Watch: Wildberries logistics centres hit in Ukraine's biggest drone strike of the year
Monday 17 August 2026 20:00 , Bryony GoochIn pictures: Police detain opposition supporter as Yabloko party leader attends a supreme court session
Monday 17 August 2026 19:00 , Bryony Gooch
Russia's Supreme Court rejects appeal by anti-war Yabloko party against election ban
Monday 17 August 2026 18:00 , Bryony GoochRussia's Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by the anti-war Yabloko party against a ruling last week that bans it from taking part in a parliamentary election next month.
The court imposed the ban one week ago, sidelining the only registered political party that is calling for an end to Russia's war in Ukraine.
The lawsuit against Yabloko was filed by Rodina, a small pro-Kremlin nationalist party.
Rodina's leader accused Yabloko of being a Western-backed movement seeking to undermine both the election process and Russia itself. Yabloko rejects that and says it speaks on behalf of millions of Russians in seeking an end to the war.
Russia expanding secret bases that can launch drones deep inside Nato: report
Monday 17 August 2026 17:00 , Bryony GoochRussia expanding secret bases that can launch drones deep inside Nato: report
Russia says it hits two cargo vessels in Ukrainian ports, RIA reports
Monday 17 August 2026 16:26 , Bryony GoochRussian forces struck two cargo vessels in Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Monday, Russian state-run RIA news agency reported citing the Defence Ministry.
One vessel was hit in the port of Odesa and the other in the port of Mykolaiv, the ministry said, adding that both had been used to supply the Ukrainian military.
The Independent could not independently verify the ministry's claims.
