Ukrainian drone strikes hit Wildberries warehouses, killing and injuring dozens

Ukrainian drones struck four Wildberries warehouses in Russia over the weekend and early Wednesday, igniting large fires and killing at least nine people while injuring dozens more. The attacks hit facilities in Elektrostal near Moscow, the Tambov region, and the southern Krasnodar and Stavropol regions.

The strikes are part of Kyiv’s aerial campaign inside Russia, which officials say aims to weaken the wartime economy and bring the conflict’s effects to Russian civilians.

"It is not the case," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, rejecting Ukrainian claims that the sites supplied the Russian military and accusing Kyiv of targeting civilian infrastructure.

Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer with a market share of about 52%, operates more than 200 warehouses and hosts up to 800,000 sellers. Analysts estimate the four damaged facilities represent roughly 12% of the company’s total storage space, with potential losses of up to $3 billion.

The company announced emergency measures for affected sellers, including discounts on storage fees, free relocation of inventory, and accelerated payments to small entrepreneurs. Founder Tatyana Kim said funds would be credited to sellers’ accounts within 24 hours.

Industry observers note that while the attacks may not significantly dent Russia’s overall e-commerce sector, which is valued at $80-90 billion, they could undermine public morale and highlight the war’s domestic impact.