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Drone strikes struck Wildberries warehouses in Russia, killing seven and wounding 49; authorities investigate damage and security implications.
Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Wildberries logistics centers overnight, killing seven people at a Tambov warehouse and injuring 49 workers across that site and another facility in Elektrostal, officials said. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the raids targeted logistics hubs allegedly used to supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment, and added strikes also hit targets in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea and annexed Crimea.
Governor Evgeniy Pervyshov of the Tambov region wrote on Telegram that seven night-shift workers died on the spot and 25 others were wounded at the Tambov warehouse, including one in critical condition and six in serious condition. He said 28 drones were shot down while approaching the region.
Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov reported 24 injuries at the Wildberries facility in Elektrostal and said some of the wounded were in serious condition. Vorobyov added that authorities shot down 48 drones across the Moscow region overnight and that a Russian oil depot suffered damage from a falling drone.
Wildberries CEO Tatyana Kim described the loss as a “terrible night” for the company. The merged RWB group, combining Wildberries with advertising company Russ, was valued at about $12.6bn by Forbes Russia in 2026.
Zelensky framed the operations as retaliation for Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, noting Russia had killed 14 people in overnight attacks across Ukraine. Russian officials confirmed an oil facility was struck in addition to the logistics targets.
The strikes mark a significant escalation in targeting supply-chain nodes tied to commercial logistic operators, underscoring how civilian-facing platforms can become entangled in strategic contests. Disrupting major retailers’ warehouses can ripple through consumer supply, regional employment and investor sentiment in Russia’s private sector, especially for large players like Wildberries with extensive fulfillment networks.
Strategically, hitting logistics facilities that allegedly contain components for weapon systems signals a blend of military and economic pressure. For businesses, the incident highlights rising operational risk and potential insurance, compliance and routing challenges for firms operating inside conflict zones.