Russia missile attack kills 10 in Ukraine hours after Moscow warned of 'consequences' for Britain as UK drones used by Kyiv
Moscow threatened the UK with “consequences” after reports that British drones have been used to strike targets on Russia’s mainland for the first time.
A Russian missile attack killed 10 people and injured others in a village in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
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The strike on the village of Pechenihy damaged 10 private buildings, a cafe, a post office, a shop and at least seven cars, governor Oleh Syniehubov said on the Telegram messaging app.
President Zelenskyy offered his condolences to the 10 people killed and the many injured.
He wrote on X: "First responders have already extinguished the fire, and all emergency and response services continue working at the site. All the circumstances of this tragedy are being established.
"We will definitely respond to this Russian strike. And it is equally important that our partners also complement our just kinetic responses with their own actions to put pressure on Russia and support Ukraine."
Read more: Kremlin warns of 'consequences' for Britain after UK drones used by Ukraine to strike Russia
Read more: Moment huge fire engulfs Russian retail warehouse which left seven dead in Ukraine aerial attack
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
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched 620 drones at Moscow and surrounding areas in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the capital's mayor said, in one of Kyiv's biggest air assaults on the region.
Russian forces downed 180 of the drones over the Moscow region and emergency services were working at crash sites, mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on Telegram, without going into detail on any casualties or damage.
Drones hit a warehouse of Russian e-commerce company Wildberries and other facilities near Moscow, regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said separately. At least three people, including a 10-year-old girl, were injured in the region, he added.
Wildberries, a frequent target of Kyiv's attacks following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, said drone debris hit a wall at the warehouse, causing minor damage.
Several other Russian-controlled regions, including Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, also reported heavy attacks from Ukraine.
The continuation of strikes traded between Ukraine and Russia comes after Moscow threatened the UK with “consequences” after reports that British drones have been used to strike targets on Russia’s mainland for the first time.
Ukraine used drones made by two UK companies as part of a so-called deep strike campaign, the Sunday Times reported.
Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Russia this year, with long-range missiles and swarms of drones increasingly targeting military industries and energy facilities.
Russia’s embassy to the UK said in a statement on Monday that the reports “confirm that London is deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis” and accused Britain of “seeking to contain Russia and inflict maximum damage on it by proxy”.
“London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer,” it added.
“The deeper its involvement in the conflict and the greater its support for Kyiv’s terrorist machinery, the higher the price it will pay.”
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson 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.
“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.”