Russia’s e-commerce giant Ozon said four of its logistics hubs were targeted by Ukrainian drones as Kyiv widens its campaign to disrupt the country’s commercial supply networks. The firm said the strikes hit Russia’s Krasnodar, Dagestan, Adygea and the Stavropol regions, causing fires, forcing evacuations and disrupting operations. Over the last two months, Ukrainian drones have struck sites belonging to Wildberries, which as Russia’s Amazon, delivers clothing, electronics, groceries and household goods to millions of Russians.
Kyiv targeted the retailer because it says its warehouses support the supply of dual use components for the Russian military showing that it sees e-commerce logistics hubs as part of the Russian war-making capacity rather than as neutral civilian infrastructure. But now Ukraine is stepping up the fight, targeting Russia’s second biggest e-commerce retailer, Ozon, with overnight strikes hitting sites in the south of the country. Ozon is a competitor to Wildberries and, as one of Russia’s largest online marketplaces, it's also network of warehouses and sorting centers.
Newsweek has contacted Ozon and the Ukrainian and Russian defense ministries for comment. Ozon sites were struck for the third night in a row, bringing the total to six of the facilities targeted since Saturday, when Ukraine announced it was turning its attention to Russia's second-largest online marketplace. The firm said a large fire broke out at its logistics hub in the Krasnodar region, located near Russia's Black Sea coast which lies around 155 miles from southeastern Ukraine.
The firm said staff were evacuated and no casualties were reported. However, Krasnodar regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said two children were killed and seven other children injured in a childcare center due to fallen drone debris. In the nearby Adygea Republic, an Ozon logistics center was attacked, the Telegram channel Exile Plus reported, noting that is covers an area of about 91,200 m², and is one was of the firm’s most important regional logistics hubs.
Ozon also reported a fire at one of its facilities in the republic of Dagestan following drone strikes. Video on social media showed drones flying into the warehouse before bursting into fireballs. Men with automatic rifles could be seen trying to shoot down the drones.
Ukrainian-X account Special Kherson Cat posted next to the clip that the complex in Dagestan covers around 130,000 m². Several were wounded according to Ozon, which said the facility had suspended operations. Ozon also said workers were evacuated from its warehouses in the Stavropol region due to the threat of drones, although it added neither facility was damaged.
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