In July 2026, Ukrainian drones struck two large warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia's biggest online retailer, killing eight people and injuring dozens more. The blasts sent flames and black smoke into the night sky, with workers fleeing for their lives. This attack is not an isolated incident but part of a broader shift in modern warfare: the deliberate targeting of logistics hubs deep inside enemy territory.
Wildberries is often described as the Russian equivalent of Amazon. It operates vast fulfilment centres that store everything from electronics to clothing. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the warehouses targeted were "major logistics facilities" used to "supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment." One warehouse hit was in Elektrostal in the Moscow region, and another in the city of Tambov, roughly 295 miles (475km) south-east of Moscow. Russian officials said 48 drones were shot down over the Moscow region overnight, with 64 destroyed on approach to the capital.
“Why Ukraine targets logistics hubs like Wildberries in drone warfare.”
Drones have become a central weapon in Russia's war on Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Ukraine has increasingly used its own drones to strike back, hitting military and economic targets inside Russia. These strikes are meant to disrupt supply chains, slow down Russian weapons production, and raise the cost of the war for ordinary Russians. Wildberries, founded by Tatyana Kim (one of Russia's first female billionaires) and now part of the merged RWB group valued at about $12.6bn by Forbes Russia in 2026, represents a high-value target.
For UK readers, this matters because it illustrates a key trend in modern conflict: the vulnerability of civilian infrastructure to drone attacks. As the war in Ukraine continues, the UK and its allies are closely watching how drones reshape military strategy. The use of low-cost drones to destroy high-value logistics hubs could influence future defence planning and the protection of supply chains. It also raises moral and legal questions about targeting facilities that employ civilian workers, as the attack on the Wildberries warehouses killed night-shift employees.
Q: Why did Ukraine attack a Russian online retailer? Ukraine claims the Wildberries warehouses were being used to store and ship components for drone production and other military equipment, making them legitimate military targets. President Zelensky said the strikes hit "major logistics facilities" that supplied "sanctioned components."
Q: What is Wildberries? Wildberries is Russia's largest online retailer, often described as the Russian equivalent of Amazon. It operates vast logistics centres across the country. In 2026, the merged RWB group (Wildberries plus advertising company Russ) was valued at about $12.6 billion by Forbes Russia.
Q: How many drones were used in the attack on Moscow? More than 370 drones were launched towards the Moscow region overnight, according to Moscow's mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Of those, 64 were destroyed by air defences on approach to Moscow, and 48 were shot down over the Moscow region.
What happens next? The war shows no signs of ending soon. US-led diplomatic efforts have stalled as Washington shifts focus to its conflict with Iran. Ukraine continues to develop its drone capabilities, and Russia is likely to bolster defences around critical logistics hubs. Further strikes on infrastructure inside Russia are probable as Ukraine seeks to disrupt the war effort and bring the conflict home to Russians.
