In brief
Ukrainian drones struck two Wildberries warehouses in Tambov and Elektrostal, fatal night‑time attacks that killed eight people and left 62 injured. The government identified 48 drones intercepted and described the blaze as the largest, most cruel assault on the region. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said the strikes targeted facilities supplying drone components. Officials are treating serious shrapnel wounds while the incident underscores increasing Ukrainian pressure on Russian supply chains. Wildberries, Russia's Amazon‑style e‑commerce titan, noted the tragedy as a terrible night for the nation and the company.
Eight people were killed and 62 injured after Ukrainian drones hit two warehouses belonging to Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries, Russian officials said.
Seven civilians died on the spot at a Tambov warehouse, 295 miles southeast of Moscow, with 25 injured—most shrapnel wounds. A single fatality and 37 injuries were reported at a Wildberries site in Elektrostal, Moscow region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the attacks targeted “major logistics facilities” supplying drone components and navigation equipment, adding that targets in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea, and Crimea were also hit.
Unverified images from the interior show flames and black smoke rising from the massive storage building, with dozens of workers fleeing into a car park while explosions continue. Another clip shows the warehouse walls collapsing amid the blaze.
Zelenskiy described Ukraine’s operations as retaliation for Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure, noting that overnight into Wednesday, 14 people were killed across Ukraine from Russian attacks.
Wildberries is described as Russia’s Amazon. The merged RWB group, combining Wildberries with its advertising arm Russ, was valued at about USD 12.6 bn (£9.3 bn) by Forbes Russia in 2026.
Wildberries CEO Tatyana Kim—one of Russia’s first female billionaires—called the night a “terrible night” for the nation and the company.
Governor of the Tambov region, Evgeniy Pervyshov, posted on Telegram: “Seven people working the night shift died on the spot, and 28 drones were shot down on approach.” He noted 25 people were injured, seven seriously, most from shrapnel wounds. He called it the most inhumane attack on Tambov in terms of drones and casualties.
Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said eight of those injured at the Elektrostal warehouse were in serious condition. He added that 48 drones were shot down overnight, and a Russian oil depot was struck by a falling drone—described as a serious incident. Zelenskiy separately confirmed Ukraine struck “an oil facility.”
Ukraine has intensified long‑range drone attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure, creating widespread fuel shortages. Earlier this month Kyiv claimed about 43% of Russia’s oil‑refining capacity had been disabled by Ukrainian strikes, though BBC has not independently verified these figures. Ukraine says Russian oil and gas sites are legitimate targets, as Moscow relies heavily on fossil‑fuel exports to finance its invasion. President Vladimir Putin admitted last month that fuel shortages were caused by Ukrainian attacks and signed a bill to boost domestic fuel supplies in early July.
