Ukrainian drone strikes on Wildberries logistics facilities in Russia have killed at least 9 workers and injured dozens, according to reports from regional governors and the company’s founder. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attacks, citing the sites’ roles in supplying military components, while the company faces significant economic damage.
The recent wave of Ukrainian drone strikes has targeted Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, resulting in significant casualties and widespread destruction across several regions. The company’s infrastructure has become a focal point of the conflict, with officials in both Kyiv and Moscow confirming the intensity of the operations.
Casualties and Logistics Damage in Elektrostal and Kotovsk
The most severe human toll occurred during strikes over the weekend in the Moscow and Tambov regions. Governor Evgeniy Pervyshov confirmed that 25 people were injured after drones slammed into a Wildberries warehouse in the city of Kotovsk, located roughly 475 kilometers southeast of Moscow. Pervyshov stated that seven people working the night shift died on the spot, adding that 28 drones were shot down on approach. He noted that if they had achieved their goal, the number of civilian casualties could have been much higher.
Simultaneously, a strike on the Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal, a city east of Moscow, left 24 people injured, according to Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov. Reports indicate that the total death toll across various locations, including strikes in the Krasnodar, Stavropol, and Voronezh regions, reached eight in that initial wave, with seven dozen people injured in total. In the city of Armavir, located in the Krasnodar region, local authorities reported that one person was killed by falling drone debris. Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratiev added that falling drone debris also damaged two high-rise apartment buildings in Krasnodar, though no residents were hurt there. More than 100 firefighters and a specialized helicopter were deployed to extinguish the blaze at the Wildberries warehouse in Krasnodar.
Tatyana Kim’s Response and Financial Impact
Wildberries co-founder and CEO Tatyana Kim, identified as Russia’s wealthiest woman, addressed the strikes. She described the impact on the company and its employees as a “terrible night” for Russia and the country, and expressed that the pain cannot be expressed in words.
Economic analysts cited by The Moscow Times estimate total economic damages to the retailer at 100 billion rubles. This figure represents one of the costliest attacks on Russian commercial infrastructure since the beginning of the war against Ukraine.
Strategic Justification and Military Allegations
The escalation of strikes follows a broader campaign of aerial operations. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has explicitly linked the targeting of Wildberries centers to the company’s alleged role in the Russian military supply chain, stating that the strikes were a response to Russian attacks on civil infrastructure in Ukraine, specifically referring to raids on the Ukrainian logistics company Nova Pošta. According to the Ukrainian leadership, these facilities stored components used in the production of navigation equipment and drones.
While there is no evidence that Wildberries cooperates with the Russian Ministry of Defense, observers have noted the presence of “strange” items on the platform, including combat helmets, neprůstřelné vesty (bulletproof vests), camouflage clothing, and optical cables used in drones.
Broader Context of Air Operations
The attacks on Wildberries occur within a larger, highly active air war. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that at least 660 Ukrainian drones were downed across 12 regions in a single overnight attack, targeting areas including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Crimea, and Russian-occupied territory. This followed Ukraine’s previous record of 556 drones on May 17. The strikes also hit a hydroelectric plant and a chemical plant in the Tula region, as well as two military vessels and air defense systems in Crimea.
Simultaneously, the tactical environment for Ukrainian forces has evolved. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced during a Senate hearing that a Ukrainian F-16 had successfully shot down a Russian combat aircraft in an air-to-air duel. While specific details of the encounter were not disclosed, the incident is widely believed to involve a Russian Su-35 destroyed on July 8, 2026. General Caine noted that this capability is a result of a longer development in Ukraine’s multilayered air defense, which allows F-16s to operate in a more coordinated and protected environment.
Sources: Novinky.
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