Russian online retail warehouses hit by deadly Ukrainian strikes

What the report says

BBC World News reports that Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Wildberries warehouse sites in Russia, killing eight people and injuring 62, according to Russian officials. Seven people died and 25 were injured at a facility in Tambov, about 475km south-east of Moscow, while one person was killed and 37 were injured at another warehouse in Elektrostal in the Moscow region. The report was published on 18 July 2026.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the sites as major logistics hubs involved in supplying sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment. He said the attacks were part of Ukraine’s response to Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, cities and communities. The BBC also reported that 14 people were killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine overnight into Wednesday.

Russian regional officials said dozens of drones were intercepted. Tambov governor Evgeniy Pervyshov said 28 drones were shot down and called it the region’s deadliest such attack, while Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said 48 drones were downed there and reported serious injuries among some warehouse victims. Footage cited by the BBC showed a large logistics building burning, with workers fleeing as explosions continued.

Wildberries is Russia’s largest online retailer and part of the RWB group, valued by Forbes Russia in 2026 at about $12.6bn. A Ukrainian security analyst told the BBC the company’s logistics network and marketplace had been used to move or source dual-use goods, including drone-related components. The strikes come amid broader Ukrainian long-range attacks on Russian energy and logistics targets, which Kyiv says support Moscow’s war effort.