In brief
Ukrainian drones struck two Wildberries logistic hubs overnight, causing one death and 14 injuries. The retailer, Russia’s biggest online marketplace, has been targeted for its role in delivering dual‑use goods to the army. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the sites supply drones and navigation equipment. Wildberries’ founder Tatyana Kim and regional governors confirmed the damage and expressed sorrow for the workers. The attacks have also hit independent sellers and raised concerns about the collateral impact on the Russian economy and civilian morale.
Ukrainian drones struck Wildberries logistics hubs in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk overnight, killing one person and injuring 14, according to local officials.
The warehouses, operated by Russia’s biggest online retailer, are believed to supply the Russian army with drone components, navigation equipment and other dual‑use goods, a claim echoed by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.
Previous strikes on Wildberries 18 July killed eight people and disrupted a network that connects independent sellers with buyers across Russia. The 48,000‑employee retailer stores and delivers millions of items each day, acting largely as an e‑commerce marketplace rather than a traditional retailer.
Wildberries founder and Russia’s wealthiest woman, Tatyana Kim, posted on Telegram that workers were evacuated after the attacks, lamenting the impact on ordinary people. “We must keep doing what we do for the benefit of people…This situation demonstrates the most important thing,” she wrote.
Krasnodar’s governor, Veniamin Kondratyev, said ten people were injured in the blast, three in serious condition, and that a young woman later died of her injuries. Nevinnomyssk’s governor, Vladimir Vladimirov, confirmed five people were hurt in a warehouse on the outskirts of the town. BBC Verify footage verified fires in both warehouses.
High‑quality images of Wildberries’ website released less than an hour after the attacks show a wide assortment of body armour, drone components and other military gear available for purchase. Serhii Kuzan, chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, described Wildberries as a “vital component” of Russian logistics, noting that the platform is used by locals to buy arms and supplies for the war effort.
Several independent sellers were forced to abandon their shipments and await the outcome of future strikes; one trader said she had lost one million roubles and feared losing her business if more attacks occurred.
Additional reporting by Paul Brown, BBC Verify, Vitaly Shevchenko, and BBC Russian.
