Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian online retailer warehouses kill eight
Eight people have been killed and 62 injured after Ukrainian drones struck two warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries, according to Russian officials. Ukraine's President Zelensky said the attacks targeted logistics centers used to supply components for drone production.
Russian officials report that Ukrainian drone strikes hit two warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia's biggest online retailer, killing eight people and wounding 62. Seven people died and 25 were injured at a warehouse in Tambov, about 475 kilometers southeast of Moscow. One person was killed and 37 injured at another Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal, Moscow region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the attacks struck "major logistics facilities" that had been used to "supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment." He added that Ukraine also targeted sites in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea, and Russian-annexed Crimea. Unverified images from the scene showed flames and huge plumes of black smoke rising from a vast logistics building, with dozens of workers running to a parking area. Videos captured terrified staff fleeing as explosions continued, and one clip showed warehouse walls disintegrating in flames.
Tambov region governor Evgeniy Pervyshov wrote on Telegram that "seven people working the night shift died on the spot" and that 25 were injured, including seven in serious condition, mostly from shrapnel. He called it the "largest and most inhumane" attack on the region in terms of drones used and casualties. Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said eight of those injured in Elektrostal were in serious condition. He added that a total of 48 drones were shot down in the Moscow region overnight, and that a Russian oil depot was struck by a falling drone, which he described as the incident with "the most serious consequences."
Zelensky separately confirmed that Ukraine hit "an oil facility." Ukraine has recently intensified long-range drone attacks on Russia's critical energy infrastructure, causing widespread fuel shortages. Kyiv claims that nearly 43% of Russia's oil refining capacity has been "disabled" as a result, though the BBC has not independently verified this figure. Ukraine considers Russian oil and gas facilities legitimate targets because Moscow relies heavily on fossil fuel exports to finance its full-scale invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare admission last month that fuel shortages had been caused by Ukrainian attacks, and signed a law in early July to boost domestic fuel supplies.
