A video released today shows a Ukrainian FP-2 suicide unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying low, then accelerating and diving towards a Wildberries warehouse in St. Petersburg, Russia's largest online retailer. A Russian air defense missile intercepted the target, causing the FP-2 to explode directly above the warehouse. Debris fell and smoldered, but appeared to cause no damage to the structure.
"A beautiful interception, as the Pantsir-S1 system took down the Ukrainian UAV just seconds before it hit its target," reported Russian military news outlet RusVesna. The incident comes as the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on 24/7 that its air defense forces had destroyed 571 Ukrainian UAVs over Moscow, Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Kaluga, Kursk, Leningrad, Novgorod, Oryol, Pskov, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver, Tula, Krasnodar region, the Crimean peninsula, and over the Azov and Black Seas. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the information.
Ukrainian forces have recently attacked Wildberries warehouses multiple times. They claim these facilities store and supply components for unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), guidance systems, and other equipment for the Russian military. On 18/7, Ukrainian UAVs hit two Wildberries warehouses in Tambov province and Moscow, killing 8 people. Four days later, Ukrainian forces also attacked the company's warehouses in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions, resulting in at least one death and 15 injuries.
Russian officials and Wildberries representatives denied these claims, accusing Ukraine of "attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure" in these incidents. In response, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on 24/7 that it had struck a location on the outskirts of Kyiv. They stated the site was hosting an exhibition of various drones, including upcoming models, produced by Ukraine and foreign countries, intended for "attacking civilian targets on Russian territory."
The Ukrainian Air Force Command reported that Russia launched three Iskander-M ballistic missiles or modified S-400 anti-aircraft rounds at the area, with only one being intercepted. Ukrainian prosecutors and defense industry representatives said the incident killed at least 10 people and injured about 100.
Nguyen Tien (According to RIA Novosti, AFP, AP)
