Ukrainian Drones Hit 2 More Wildberries Warehouses in Russia
AI Analysis
Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Wildberries logistics centers in Russia's Penza region and Udmurtia, causing fires and operational suspensions. One person was injured in Penza, while no casualties were reported in Udmurtia. The attacks are part of a broader Ukrainian campaign targeting infrastructure that supports Russian military logistics.
Key Takeaways
- Two Wildberries warehouses in Penza and Sarapul (Udmurtia) were struck by Ukrainian drones overnight.
- One person injured in Penza; about 200 employees evacuated. No casualties in Udmurtia due to pre-strike evacuation.
- Wildberries suspended operations at both facilities, rerouting deliveries and removing goods from sale.
- Previous Ukrainian strikes have damaged at least seven Wildberries warehouses, destroying ~10% of storage capacity.
- Ukraine justifies targeting Wildberries due to its role in Russian military logistics and partnership with sanctioned VTB bank.
Why It Matters
These strikes demonstrate Ukraine's growing capability to conduct deep-penetration drone attacks against Russian economic and logistics infrastructure. By targeting a major retailer linked to military supply chains, Ukraine aims to disrupt both civilian commerce and military logistics, potentially straining Russia's domestic stability and war effort.
Ukrainian drones struck logistics facilities operated by Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, in the Penza region and the Republic of Udmurtia overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, causing fires and disrupting the company’s operations.
The Moscow Times, citing Russian regional officials and Wildberries, said one person was injured in the Penza attack, while no casualties were reported in Udmurtia.
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Penza Region Governor Oleg Melnichenko said a Wildberries warehouse came under a drone attack during the night.
“According to preliminary information, one person was injured, and about 200 employees were evacuated,” Melnichenko said, adding that firefighters were battling a blaze at the site.
Wildberries said it had temporarily suspended receiving and shipping goods from the damaged logistics center while rerouting deliveries through other facilities.
The warehouse, located near western Russia’s Penza, serves the country’s Volga Federal District and currently covers about 90,000 square meters (969,000 square feet). The company had planned to expand the complex to 180,000 square meters (around 44 acres).
Authorities in Russia’s Republic of Udmurtia, located west of the Ural Mountains, also reported a drone strike on what acting regional head Olga Abramova described as “one of the enterprises” in the region.
Wildberries later confirmed that the targeted facility was its logistics center in the city of Sarapul.
The company said a fire broke out after the strike but that employees had been evacuated before the attack, preventing casualties.
The Sarapul logistics center spans over 50,000 square meters (538,000 square feet).
The latest strikes follow a series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Wildberries infrastructure.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the Russian government was considering financial support for the retailer after previous Ukrainian strikes damaged at least seven Wildberries warehouses, destroying around 10% of the company’s storage capacity and disrupting operations for thousands of businesses using the platform.
Ukraine has previously said Wildberries was targeted because of its role in supporting Russia’s military logistics and its partnership with the state-controlled bank VTB, which has been sanctioned by Western countries.
On Wednesday, Ukraine launched another wave of drone strikes deep inside Russia, hitting a Wildberries logistics hub and a major oil refinery in Ryazan.
Wildberries later confirmed it had evacuated staff from the facility and restricted access following the strike.
“Goods stored at the warehouse have been temporarily removed from sale,” the company said in a notice to sellers.
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