Ukraine Strikes Wildberries Warehouses to Disrupt Russian Military Logistics

Between July 18 and July 31, 2026, Volodymyr Zelenskyy authorized a series of long-range drone strikes targeting the logistics infrastructure of Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer. The campaign hit approximately 10 to 16 warehouses across regions including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tambov, Krasnodar, Stavropol, and occupied Crimea. The attacks resulted in at least nine deaths and numerous injuries, with massive fires destroying an estimated 10% of the company's total warehousing capacity.

President Zelenskyy characterized the facilities as legitimate military targets, stating they served as logistics hubs used to supply the Russian army with "sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment." In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied these claims, asserting that Ukraine targeted civilian infrastructure. The strikes caused severe economic ripple effects, with estimated losses for third-party vendors reaching between $1.9 billion and $4.4 billion. Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim reported that while the company provided some reimbursements to vulnerable entrepreneurs, it updated its policies to classify drone attacks as force majeure events to limit liability.

The campaign coincided with broader Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and energy facilities, contributing to domestic fuel shortages. Russia retaliated with strikes on Ukrainian logistics centers, including Nova Poshta facilities in the Odessa region. Amid the instability, the Russian government considered a financial rescue package for Wildberries, including loans from state-controlled VTB Bank, to prevent a wider destabilization of the Russian banking and retail sectors.