(MAKHACHKALA, DAGESTAN) – Shares in Russian e-commerce giant Ozon have plummeted by more than 28 percent following a series of drone strikes on the company’s warehouse facilities, including a major logistics hub in Dagestan.
The Moscow Exchange placed Ozon shares in a discrete auction after the marketplace’s stock fell by more than 20 percent. Ozon shares briefly fell to 2,158 roubles per share, equivalent to approximately $24.30 or £19.10, a decline of 27.5 percent below their Friday evening closing price.
Shares in AFK Sistema, a major Ozon shareholder with a stake of almost 32 percent, also fell sharply.
The largest logistics hub operated by Ozon in the North Caucasus was struck overnight. The warehouse, covering 130,000 square metres, is located in the industrial park of Dagestanskiye Ogni, more than 1,000 km from the front line. The facility was engulfed in flames.
According to reports, drones approached the target in groups of three, almost simultaneously. Russian air defences failed to intercept the attack. A huge column of smoke rose over the facility, and eyewitnesses posted photos and videos of the strikes and the large scale fire online. Smoke was visible from a distance of 12 km.
A local resident said the fire was approximately 12 km from his home. Another resident described the scene as being “like a horror film”, with ash falling from the sky into residential courtyards.
The attack on the Ozon warehouse in Makhachkala marks the third such facility to be hit in recent days. A local entrepreneur whose goods were stored at the warehouse said he had been awake since 4:00 in the morning following the news. He said he was now considering holding a fire sale of his cosmetic products on the platform to recover at least the cost price of his stock.
The strikes on Ozon facilities follow a broader campaign targeting Russian logistics and retail infrastructure.
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