Ukrainian long-range drones struck a major warehouse belonging to Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries, for the second time in five weeks, causing a fire that destroyed the facility. The depot, located in the Tambov region southeast of Moscow, was previously targeted on July 18, an attack that killed seven people and marked the beginning of Ukraine's aerial campaign against Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries.
Ukraine has stated that goods sold by Wildberries include equipment and technical components used by the Russian military. These attacks aim to disrupt Russian economic interests and unsettle citizens far from the front lines. The company's size has led to comparisons with Amazon.
In parallel, Ukrainian forces also targeted oil facilities, striking a Lukoil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region. The refinery, with an annual processing capacity of approximately 125 million barrels, was reported to be on fire following the attack, according to Ukraine's General Staff. Nizhny Novgorod has been a repeated target for Ukrainian strikes.
These escalating drone attacks prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to issue a decree allowing the state to temporarily seize control of critical infrastructure if private owners fail to protect them from Ukrainian attacks or rebuild damaged assets. Analysts suggest this move is intended to compel companies to fund their own security and expedite the restoration of damaged facilities.
Russia has continued its own aerial assaults on Ukraine, utilizing ballistic and cruise missiles, glide bombs, and drones. On Wednesday, emergency services reported that a woman and a 4-year-old child were killed in a Russian strike on a residential building in the Chernihiv region.
Ukraine has been launching hundreds of drones toward Russia almost nightly, aiming to overwhelm its air defense systems. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 426 Ukrainian drones over 15 Russian regions and the illegally annexed Crimea during one night.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Wednesday that Ukraine had struck Russian oil facilities, airfields, and infrastructure over the preceding 24 hours, though he did not provide specific target details. Wildberries acknowledged the attack and subsequent fire at its Tambov depot, stating the facility was evacuated, but did not specify the extent of the damage. Tambov's Governor, Yevgeny Pervyshov, confirmed the complete destruction of the logistical center and reported two injuries: a 19-year-old man with a concussion and a 49-year-old woman with a broken finger. Separately, in Russia's Lipetsk region, a drone falling on a house caused a fire that killed two people and wounded two others, according to Governor Igor Artamonov.