Ukrainian drones have targeted several sites of Russian online retailer Wildberries, causing fires and casualties. Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov of Tambov Region reported that at least eight people were killed and dozens injured in an attack on a Wildberries logistics center in Kotovsk. In Stavropol Krai. Vladimir Vladimirov said a warehouse complex caught fire after a drone strike, with five people receiving medical treatment; Later, the Krasnodar Krai operational headquarters added that three more people were wounded in that region.

Attacks across multiple regions

The attacks occurred in several locations, including the southern city of Armavir, where one worker was killed when drone debris struck a site — In the Moscow region, Wildberries’ second-largest warehouse was also hit, with 37 people injured in the city of Elektrostal, according to Governor Andrei Vorobyov. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attacks, stating that two key logistics facilities in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions were targeted, he added that an oil depot and four cargo ships in the Black Sea and Azov Sea were also hit, according to Al Jazeera.

Ukrainian strategy and Russian response

Ukraine’s strategy of using long-range drones to disrupt Russia’s war effort has continued to widen. Zelenskyy stated that the logistics centers targeted by Ukraine were used to supply the Russian army with components for drones, navigation equipment, and other supplies. “We are justly returning the war to its source,to Russia,” he said. In response, the Kremlin accused Kyiv of carrying out targeted attacks against civilians in border regions, with multiple unmanned aerial vehicles launched toward Moscow and surrounding areas, according to a report by Javier Miglino.

Wildberries and the logistics network

Wildberries, often referred to as the “Russian Amazon,” operates a vast network of warehouses and logistics centers, distributing consumer goods such as clothing, cosmetics, and household appliances. The company confirmed that its second-largest warehouse in the Moscow region was hit. The Ukrainian military has described these centers as weapons hubs, used by the Russian side to transport sanctioned components for drone production. A high-ranking Ukrainian official told the Financial Times that the attack was in retaliation for Russian strikes on facilities belonging to Ukraine’s private postal service, Nova Poshta, according to the Kronen Zeitung.

After the initial strikes, many Wildberries employees fled on foot, as seen in videos shared on social media. Thick plumes of smoke were visible in several locations, with a dark cloud cover casting a shadow over Moscow. The Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, said on Wednesday that Ukrainian drones struck 13 Russian vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov in the previous 48 hours.

Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to Ukrainian soldiers for the successful operations. “We thank all our soldiers of the Ukrainian Defence Forces for these results,” he said. The attacks mark another escalation in Ukraine’s efforts to target logistics and supply chains in Russia, as the conflict continues to impact both civilian and military infrastructure.