Ukraine takes aim at Russia’s economy and morale by attacking online retailer

Russia launched fresh aerial attacks across Ukraine, resulting in at least five deaths and over 10 injuries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of targeting civilian infrastructure, citing damage to a book market in Kyiv and ballistic missile strikes on Kremenchuk and Kryvyi Rih. Russia stated its attacks targeted military facilities, including a missile parts facility and a drone component factory in Kyiv, and a steelworks in Kryvyi Rih. In Russia, Moscow reported approximately 600 Ukrainian drones were launched, with one hitting a Wildberries warehouse. The conflict has increasingly become aerial, with both sides targeting logistics and military supply capabilities.

Ukraine conducted one of its largest aerial attacks of the war on Sunday, deploying hundreds of drones across Russia. The attacks resulted in at least six fatalities. Russia's Ministry of Defense reported destroying 822 drones, with 600 targeting the capital. In the southwestern Rostov region, three towns were attacked, leading to five deaths. An additional fatality occurred in the Moscow region when a drone struck a private home, killing an 83-year-old man.

Russia conducted overnight air strikes on Ukraine, resulting in two fatalities at a steel plant in Kryvyi Rih. Simultaneously, Ukraine launched a significant drone attack on the Moscow region, causing one death and igniting a warehouse belonging to a major Russian e-commerce retailer. During these attacks, a Romanian F-18 fighter jet on a NATO mission shot down a drone that entered Romanian airspace from Moldova, which NATO suggested was likely Russian. These escalations follow recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and Russian attacks on Ukraine's grain export port. The damage to the steel plant has partially halted its production processes.

Ukraine has launched a series of drone attacks targeting warehouses of Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, causing billions of dollars in merchandise losses. These attacks, occurring over a month across various Russian regions, represent a shift from previous targets like oil refineries to infrastructure impacting the broader public and economy. The strikes have significantly affected hundreds of thousands of individual sellers who rely on Wildberries, potentially impacting major Russian banks that have lent to the company. Ukrainian officials state the attacks aim to disrupt military supplies and foster public discontent, while also highlighting Kyiv's capability to strike deep within Russia. The large, unprotected warehouses of Wildberries have proven to be vulnerable targets, leading to significant fires and logistical challenges for the company.