Bomb Shelter Leaflets Appear in Moscow as War Reaches the Capital

(KYIV) – A wave of Ukrainian strikes has turned multiple Russian cities into active combat zones, hitting oil refineries, a military airbase, and another vast logistics hub as the war increasingly reaches deep into Russian territory.

Explosions were reported in Moscow, Ufa, Saratov, Kaluga, and Engels overnight into August 2. The attacks continued Ukraine’s systematic degradation of Russia’s war economy, targeting the energy sector and supply chains that sustain the Kremlin’s invasion.

In Moscow, an explosion disrupted a birthday celebration for a senior Russian general. Five people were killed and more were injured. Russian observers suggested the intended target may have been General Tchaiko, head of Russia’s Aerospace Forces, though this remains unconfirmed. The blast occurred close to the Kremlin, underscoring the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s inability to shield even the capital from the consequences of his war.

Residents of Moscow have begun receiving leaflets directing them to the nearest bomb shelters. The information campaign marks a stark shift for a population told in 2022 that the “special military operation” would deliver greater security. Local websites now carry maps of shelter locations, and the psychological effect is already visible, with reports of increased capital flight and growing public anxiety.

Ukraine also struck the Engels military airbase in Saratov Oblast for the latest in a series of preemptive attacks. The facility houses strategic bombers used by Russia to launch nightly missile strikes against Ukrainian cities. The Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the strike.

Multiple oil refineries were hit across Ufa, Saratov, and Kaluga. Ten of Russia’s major refineries are now operating improperly. The former “gas station of the world” has been forced to import fuel from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and reportedly Morocco. The strikes have triggered a petrol crisis in the Moscow region, compelling the Kremlin to divert fuel from other regions and stoking interregional tensions.

A Wildberries logistics hub in Saratov became the latest facility destroyed in the ongoing campaign against Russian military supply infrastructure. The warehouse, the second largest among those hit, was completely gutted by fire. The company accounts for roughly three percent of Russia’s GDP and has been used to distribute military equipment and promote the Kremlin’s war effort. Ukraine’s forces have now eliminated eleven such facilities since July 18.