Wildberries logistics hubs in St. Petersburg, occupied Crimea struck in Ukrainian drone attack

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Logistics centers belonging to Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries, came under fire in the Russian cities of St. Petersburg, and Tver, as well as in the Russian-occupied Crimea overnight on July 24, amid reports of widespread Ukrainian drone attacks targeting the facilities.

A Wildberries logistics center in St. Petersburg was among the facilities struck by Ukrainian drones, Russian Telegram media channels reported, leading to a large fire at the facility. Residents shared videos on social media documenting thick black smoke rising over part of the city.

St. Petersburg — located 1,100 kilometers (about 684 miles) from Ukraine's border and the hometown of Russian President Vladimir Putin — has rarely been targeted by Ukrainian attacks throughout Russia's full-scale invasion due to the concentration of Russian air defenses around the historically significant city.

In recent months, however, Ukrainian drone advancements have been able to more effectively penetrate air defenses, striking various targets in heavily fortified cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.

As Ukrainian attack on Russian infrastructure continue to intensify, Wildberries, frequently compared to e-commerce giant Amazon, has been targeted by Ukrainian attacks several times in recent days.

Earlier in the night, photo and videos posted to social media by Russian Telegram media channels purport to show a large fire emanating from a Wildberries facility in Simferopol. The warehouse complex serves as a major logistics hub for the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, and published footage by local residents purportedly showed the moment the drone struck the facility.

Wildberries' press service later confirmed that one of its warehouses in Simferopol was struck, though the company did not immediately provide details on the extent of the damage or possible disruptions to operations.

Later in the night, local residents also reported a fire at a Wildberries logistics hub in the Russian city of Tver. Thick clouds of smoke were seen rising over the city following the reported strike. The extent of the damage caused it that attack was not immediately clear.

The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the reported attack.

Overnight on July 23, Ukrainian forces reportedly also struck a Wildberries facility in Voronezh. While on July 22, two Wildberries warehouses in southern Russia, one in Krasnodar and one in Stavropol Krai, erupted in flames after being hit by Ukrainian drones,

The recent attacks have inflicted heavy economic costs, with media analysts estimating at least 100 billion rubles (approximately $1.2 billion) in damage.

Following a separate July 18 strike on a warehouse, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the logistics centers support the Russian military.

"These are Russian logistics facilities, specifically warehouses used to supply war materiel: navigation equipment, components for drone production, and other supplies for the Russian army," he said in his evening address.

Wildberries lists a variety of military equipment available for purchase on its website, including drone components and body armor.

Wildberries, along with founder Kim (Russia's wealthiest woman), have been subject to international sanctions and trade restrictions due to Russia's all-out war against Ukraine. When imposing sanctions against the company in 2022, Poland noted that Wildberries was "the largest taxpayer in the Russian Federation."