Wildberries under fire: Why is Ukraine targeting a Russian retail giant?

Ukraine is targeting Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, with drone attacks on its warehouses. Kyiv claims these warehouses are legitimate targets, alleging the company sells military or dual-purpose items that fuel the war effort, such as drone components and flak jackets. Wildberries and the Kremlin deny supplying the Russian army. These attacks, which have destroyed or damaged at least 12 warehouses since mid-July, are intended by Ukraine to bring the war home to Russia and impact large social groups who claim to be apolitical. While the attacks cause significant disruption and have resulted in casualties, one researcher suggests they may not affect Russian forces' war-readiness as similar goods are available on other platforms.

At least six people were killed in multiple Russian attacks across Ukraine. The eastern Dnipropetrovsk region reported five deaths on Thursday and two on Friday due to drone, artillery, and aerial bomb strikes. In southern Ukraine, a drone attack in Kherson killed a 77-year-old woman, and cluster munitions in Kharkiv killed two people. Donetsk also reported one death. Meanwhile, Ukraine has been targeting warehouses and logistics hubs belonging to the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, which it claims aids Moscow's war efforts. In Russian-controlled Crimea, a Ukrainian drone strike on an apartment building resulted in two fatalities.

Ukrainian long-range drones struck a warehouse belonging to Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries, in the Ural Mountains, over 2,000 kilometers from the border. Local officials and the company confirmed the attack, which set the warehouse ablaze. While most merchandise was undamaged, the incident is part of Ukraine's strategy to use drone innovation to strike distant Russian targets. Ukraine is also developing its own anti-ballistic missile systems and ballistic missiles, with European partners involved in the anti-ballistic program. Meanwhile, Russia continues to launch drone attacks into Ukraine, with one hitting a market in the Sumy region and wounding 10 people.