Ukrainian Drone Strikes Hit Russian Retail Giant Wildberries, Disrupt Logistics and Athletics Event

Ukrainian long‑range drones have repeatedly attacked warehouses of Russia’s leading online retailer Wildberries. Strikes on facilities in Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, St. Petersburg and other cities have caused fires, at least eight deaths and significant disruption to the company’s logistics network. Wildberries, which processes more than 20 million daily transactions and accounts for about 8.5 % of Russia’s GDP, evacuated its Yekaterinburg hub and halted operations for several hours; the site was later reported undamaged.

The attacks forced the suspension of the Russian Athletics Championships at Yekaterinburg’s Kalininets Stadium while spectators and athletes were moved to safety. Competitions resumed after the alert cleared. Ukrainian officials say the raids target Wildberries because it handles military supplies, a claim the Kremlin denies. The company has also removed a dedicated “Special Military Operation” product section from its website amid the pressure.

Small and medium‑size merchants that rely on Wildberries for sales report severe financial losses, with some fearing permanent closure.