Ukrainian drones ignited Ozon logistics hubs in southern Russia, sparking injuries and economic fallout.
Ozon, the country’s second‑largest online retailer, reported that its warehouses in Dagestan and Krasnodar were on fire after overnight drone strikes. The attacks injured workers and forced evacuations at sites in Makhachkala, Adygeysk, and Nevinnomyssk.
The attack came a day after a strike on a Samara‑region warehouse, part of a series of assaults that also hit Ukraine’s Wildberries, Moscow’s largest retailer. Ukraine justifies these strikes as targeting dual‑use facilities that supply the Russian military, a claim denied by the Kremlin.
Reports say three children were killed in Krasnodar and six more were taken to hospital, although both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberate targeting of civilians. Russian president Vladimir Putin warned that Ukraine had “opened Pandora’s box” by hitting economic targets, pledging a response against Kyiv’s most sensitive sectors.
Shares in Ozon fell 12% on the Moscow Exchange following the news, while its major shareholder, private‑equity firm AFK Sistema, slid almost 13%. In a statement, the Kremlin said it was “working with business representatives to develop various options for providing support in this difficult situation.”
Ozon, founded in 1998, is often paired with Wildberries at shared pick‑up points, providing goods for 85‑90% of the country’s active population. The attacks have moved the war closer to ordinary Russians, who rely on these platforms for everyday supplies. Though the Kremlin denies that online marketplaces supply the army, the economic impact of these strikes is tangible.
