Ukrainian long-range drones have destroyed approximately 860,000 square meters of warehouse space belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online marketplace, in a sustained campaign that has crippled logistics across the country. The strikes, spanning multiple regions from Moscow to the Caucasus, represent one of the most significant disruptions to Russia’s domestic economy since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
At least eight Wildberries distribution centers have been hit since mid-July, with confirmed strikes in Koledino in the Moscow region, Elektrostal, Kotovsk in the Tambov region, Krasnodar, Stavropol, and Voronezh. The July 18 attacks on facilities near Moscow killed eight people and injured 24, while subsequent strikes injured dozens more. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the targets as major logistics facilities essential to Russia’s military effort.
Wildberries, founded by Tatyana Kim, operates as Russia’s equivalent of Amazon and processes millions of orders daily. Ukrainian intelligence argues the platform serves as a dual-use supply chain where sanctioned electronics, drone components, and military-adjacent gear are procured through third-party sellers. Moscow denies any military connection, but analysts note the marketplace lists tens of thousands of military-adjacent items from third-party vendors.
The economic toll has been devastating for small business owners who depend on Wildberries for fulfillment. Reuters reported that one Moscow-area pickup point operator saw his business go from healthy to loss-making in just three weeks, forcing him to try to sell the operation. Wildberries founder Kim confirmed strikes on hubs in Krasnodar and Stavropol, and the company is now scrambling to redirect orders through unaffected facilities across the country.
The Wildberries strikes are part of a wider Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian logistics and energy infrastructure. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have also struck oil refineries deep inside Russia, including the Slavneft-Yanos plant in Yaroslavl Oblast, over 700 kilometers from the border. The cumulative effect has been to bring the war’s economic consequences directly to Russian civilians in their daily lives.
The strikes signal a strategic shift in Ukraine’s approach to the conflict, moving beyond military targets to hit economic infrastructure that underpins Russia’s war economy. By targeting consumer logistics networks, Kyiv aims to erode domestic support for the war among ordinary Russians while reducing Russia’s capacity to sustain prolonged military operations. The campaign has raised questions about the legality of striking civilian commercial infrastructure under international humanitarian law.
Sources: Reuters, Business Model Analyst, Mezha