One person has been killed and 14 more wounded after Ukrainian drones struck warehouses of Russia's biggest online retailer, Wildberries, for the second time in less than a week, local officials said.
The overnight attacks hit logistics hubs in the southern cities of Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk, in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions, triggering the evacuation of employees. In Krasnodar, governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported 10 people injured, three seriously, and later confirmed that a young woman had died of her wounds. In Nevinnomyssk, five people were hurt, according to Stavropol governor Vladimir Vladimirov.
“Ukrainian drones hit Wildberries warehouses again, killing one and injuring 14, as Zelensky says hubs supply Russian army.”
The assault comes just four days after a previous Ukrainian strike on Wildberries' warehouses in central Russia killed eight people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the hubs were "involved in providing the Russian army with drone components, navigation equipment and other gear".
Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim, Russia's wealthiest woman, wrote on Telegram: "There are no words to describe all the feelings and emotions caused by the attacks on ordinary people, on our employees, on us, who are simply doing our jobs. But these situations demonstrate the most important thing: we must continue to do what we do for the benefit of people."
BBC Verify analysed footage and confirmed fires at the two locations. Hours after the strikes, a BBC search found military gear including body armour and drone components still widely available for sale on Wildberries' website. The retailer, often described as Russia's Amazon, employs around 48,000 people.
Serhii Kuzan, chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, described Wildberries as a "vital component" of Russian logistics. "The primary rationale for striking Wildberries' warehouses is to disrupt Russian logistics and the supply of dual-use goods, critical electronics, sanctioned goods and the like to the Russian army and Russian arms manufacturers," he told the BBC. "The collateral damage from such strikes could also have a serious impact on the Russian economy, as well as a psychological effect on Russian society and, likely, on continued support for the war."
The strikes have also dealt a serious blow to Russia's logistics network, with analysts warning of broader economic and psychological consequences.