Krasnodar, Russia. Ukraine attacked two warehouses operated by Russian online retailer Wildberries in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk, injuring several people, the company’s co-founder and head Tatyana Kim said on Wednesday. The strikes extend a campaign of Ukrainian drone attacks against the retailer’s facilities.
Warehouse attacks
Kim said the warehouses in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk, both in southern Russia, had been attacked. Social media footage verified by Reuters showed a large plume of smoke rising in Krasnodar.
The extent of the damage from the latest attacks was not immediately clear.
“There are no words to describe all the feelings and emotions caused by the attacks on ordinary people, on our employees, on all of us who are simply doing our jobs,” Kim said in a Telegram post.
Previous strike
A Ukrainian drone strike on Saturday killed eight Wildberries workers, caused fires and disrupted the company’s operations.
Wildberries, often described as Russia’s Amazon, is one of the country’s largest employers. Its shares are not publicly traded, while shares in rival Ozon fell 4% on the Moscow exchange on Wednesday amid concerns it could also become a target.
Conflicting accounts of military links
Ukraine has said it is targeting companies and infrastructure that support Russia’s military, while its own cities face continuing attacks. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that the latest targets were logistics hubs involved in supplying Russian forces with drone components and other equipment.
The Kremlin has denied that Wildberries handles military supplies. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s logistics hubs, energy system and power grid.
