Ukrainian drone strikes targeted several warehouses belonging to Russian e-commerce company Wildberries and a factory on Friday [1, 2, 3].
Kyiv is targeting the company's logistics network because it said the retailer supplies the Russian army [1, 3]. By disrupting these supply chains, Ukraine aims to weaken the operational capacity of Russian forces.
The strikes hit facilities near Saint-Petersburg, in Tver, and in Russian-occupied Crimea [2, 4, 1]. Three more warehouses were struck overnight [3]. Reports on the frequency of these attacks vary; some sources said this was the fourth attack [1], while others said it is the fifth time Wildberries logistics centers were hit in the past week [4].
Casualties were reported across multiple sites. At least three people were wounded in the warehouse strikes [2]. A separate attack on a factory resulted in at least six deaths [1].
The escalation occurred alongside Russian military activity in Ukraine. Russian strikes just outside Kyiv killed at least 10 people [1].
Wildberries is often described as Russia's equivalent to Amazon [3]. The targeted facilities are critical nodes in the company's distribution network, which Ukraine said is being leveraged for military logistics [1, 3].
“Ukraine says Wildberries supplies the Russian army”
This campaign represents a strategic shift by Ukraine to target the private sector's logistical infrastructure. By hitting an e-commerce giant like Wildberries, Kyiv is attempting to disrupt the 'grey zone' of military procurement where commercial networks are used to move supplies to the front lines, potentially creating economic pressure and logistical bottlenecks within Russia.
