Eight Killed, Dozens Injured as Ukrainian Drone Strikes Hit Russian Warehouses

At least eight people have been killed and 62 others injured after Ukrainian drones struck two warehouses belonging to Russian online retail giant Wildberries, according to Russian authorities.

Officials said seven people died and 25 others were injured in an attack on a Wildberries warehouse in Tambov, about 475 kilometres southeast of Moscow. Another warehouse in Elektrostal, located in the Moscow region, was also hit, leaving one person dead and 37 injured.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the strikes, saying they targeted major logistics facilities allegedly used to supply sanctioned components for drone manufacturing and navigation equipment.

He also said Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on targets in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea and Russian-annexed Crimea.

Videos circulating online showed large fires and thick black smoke billowing from one of the warehouse complexes, while workers fled the buildings as explosions continued. Other footage appeared to show sections of the warehouse collapsing as the fire spread.

Zelensky said the operation was carried out in response to continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and cities. Ukrainian officials reported that 14 people were killed in Russian strikes across the country overnight into Wednesday.

Wildberries, often described as Russia’s equivalent of Amazon, merged with advertising company Russ to form the RWB Group, which was valued by Forbes Russia at approximately $12.6 billion in 2026.

Serhii Kuzan, chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, told the BBC that the warehouses played a significant role in Russia’s logistics network and had allegedly been used by volunteers supporting the Russian military to obtain equipment such as walkie-talkies, body armour and drone components.

According to Kuzan, disrupting such facilities could affect Russia’s military supply chain while also creating broader economic and psychological pressure.

Wildberries Chief Executive Officer Tatyana Kim described the attacks as “a terrible night” for both the company and Russia.

Tambov regional governor Evgeniy Pervyshov said seven employees working the night shift were killed instantly. He added that Russian air defences intercepted 28 drones approaching the region but that 25 people were still injured, including seven who remain in serious condition, most of them suffering shrapnel wounds.

Pervyshov described the incident as the largest drone attack on the region in terms of both the number of drones involved and the resulting casualties.

In the Moscow region, Governor Andrei Vorobyov said eight of those injured at the Elektrostal warehouse were in serious condition. He also disclosed that Russian air defence systems shot down 48 drones overnight and that debris from one drone struck an oil depot, causing what he described as the most significant damage recorded during the attacks.

Emergency responders continued firefighting and rescue operations at the affected sites.

Zelensky separately confirmed that Ukraine had also targeted an oil facility during the overnight operation.

Ukraine has increasingly focused its long-range drone strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, arguing that oil and gas facilities are legitimate military targets because energy exports help finance Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Kyiv claimed that nearly 43% of Russia’s oil refining capacity had been disrupted by its attacks, although the figure has not been independently verified.

Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged in June that Ukrainian drone attacks had contributed to fuel shortages within Russia. He later signed legislation aimed at strengthening domestic fuel supplies as the country continues to face pressure on its energy infrastructure.