Ukrainian forces launched a swarm of 400 drones [1] on July 24, 2026, striking multiple Wildberries distribution centers in Russia.
The operation targets the logistics of Russia's largest e-commerce platform, which Kyiv identifies as a critical component of the Russian war economy. By disrupting these hubs, Ukraine aims to degrade the domestic supply chains that support military efforts.
Wildberries, often described as the Russian equivalent of Amazon, saw several warehouses in the Moscow region sustain damage during the strikes [1], [2]. The scale of the operation marks one of the most significant aerial incursions into Russian territory since the conflict began.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the sites help fuel Russia's war effort [3]. The strikes were not a sudden decision, as a Ukrainian military official said the forces had been preparing the operation for more than a year [4].
Russia has condemned the strikes as an escalation against non-military targets. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson said the operation was a direct attack on civilians and the economy [3].
While some reports have conflicted on which side has launched the largest aerial attack of the war, this specific operation utilized a massive volume of unmanned aerial vehicles to penetrate Russian airspace [1]. The drones targeted logistics hubs specifically to create economic pressure within the Moscow region [1], [2].
“"These sites help fuel Russia's war effort."”
This shift toward targeting large-scale commercial logistics like Wildberries suggests a Ukrainian strategy to move beyond purely military targets and strike the economic infrastructure of the Russian state. By hitting the 'Amazon of Russia,' Kyiv is attempting to demonstrate that the Russian domestic economy is vulnerable to long-range precision strikes, potentially aiming to lower public tolerance for the ongoing war effort.
