©Kyle Loftus via Unsplash
Ukrainian drones have once again struck warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer. The nighttime attacks in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions resulted in injuries, and employees were evacuated, according to company management and regional governors.
According to Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim, logistics hubs in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk were hit. Kim wrote on Telegram that the company had to evacuate its employees and described the attacks as targeting “ordinary people” who were simply doing their jobs. Five people were injured in Nevinnomyssk, and ten in Krasnodar, three of whom are in serious condition. Local authorities also reported a fire at an oil depot in Armavir. This is the second time in four days that Wildberries has been targeted. Last Saturday, two other warehouses—in Tambov and Elektrostal—were struck. Eight employees were killed and dozens of people were injured in those attacks. The attacks led to major fires and heavy smoke in and around the logistics sites.
Supplier of drone parts for the Russian military
Kyiv has previously stated that these warehouses are not merely civilian distribution centers but are also used to supply components for Russian drones and navigation equipment. The Ukrainian strategy thus appears to be increasingly focused on the Russian war economy. Zelensky aims to disrupt logistics, interfere with supply chains, and ramp up pressure on Moscow. Wildberries is often described as the Russian equivalent of Amazon. The company processes millions of orders daily and operates one of the country’s largest distribution networks. In Russia, the impact of the attacks is therefore being felt beyond the affected regions alone, as the company is deeply embedded in the consumer and distribution chain.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the latest attacks. Meanwhile, the violence continues to illustrate how Ukraine is increasingly targeting economic and logistical targets in Russia as part of the broader war.
©Kyle Loftus via Unsplash - illustrative image