More than 370 drones were launched towards the Moscow region overnight, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X: “In response to Russian strikes on our civilian infrastructure and on our cities and communities, two major logistics facilities were hit – in the Moscow and Tambov regions”.

He alleged the centres were used “to supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment”.

In Ukraine, Russian strikes killed five people and wounded almost 20 others in regions in the country’s southeast.

But even as the war continued, in big cities across Ukraine, thousands gathered to protest against the removal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov for a third day in a row.

Just when Ukraine appeared to be gaining momentum on the battlefield, Zelenskyy ordered a surprise government reshuffle that included the dismissal of the young, tech-savvy defence minister, triggering rare wartime protests.

Fighting on the front line has largely stalled, with Ukraine appearing to have slowed Russia’s summer offensive.

United States-led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have also stalled since Washington has shifted its attention to its war against Iran.

– AFP