(KOLEDINO, MOSCOW OBLAST) – Ukraine has reported that a large-scale drone attack has destroyed the largest warehouse belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries in the settlement of Koledino, near Moscow.
The attack occurred during one of the most significant Ukrainian drone operations against the Moscow region since the war began. Russian authorities reported that over 600 drones targeted the area and that six people were killed. Ukrainian officials stated that this latest strike means seven of Wildberries’ ten largest logistics centres have now been disabled.
Kyiv has described the ongoing campaign against the company as a form of “long range sanctions.” Ukrainian forces have hit more than twenty Wildberries warehouses since mid-July, with some facilities being struck on multiple occasions.
Ukraine alleges that Wildberries, often described as Russia’s version of the online retailer Amazon, plays a dual role by handling military supplies for the Russian armed forces. The Russian government denies that the company serves as a military supplier.
Robert Murrett, Deputy Director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law at Syracuse University, commented on the strategy behind the attacks. He described the operations as a “cost imposing strategy” designed to counter efforts by the Russian leadership to shield the Russian public from the effects of the war.
“One of the things that the Ukrainian leadership is trying to do is to counter efforts that the Kremlin leadership has made to kind of protect the Russian people from the effects of their war against Ukraine,” Murrett said.
Murrett suggested the attacks have a dual purpose: bringing the war to the attention of ordinary Russians and disrupting the supply chain for Russia’s forces. While military supplies are thought to be a small part of Wildberries’ business, Murrett noted that the company does supply the Russian army with various components.
This approach is consistent with Ukraine’s targeting of Russia’s oil sector, which also serves dual purposes for both the civilian economy and the war effort.
When asked if the attacks are changing behaviour within the Russian government, Murrett expressed doubt. He noted that the “pain threshold” of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and his immediate circle is exceptionally high.
“The pain threshold that the small circle of leadership that Putin has for things that are happening inside Russia is exceptionally high,” Murrett stated. “The Kremlin leadership is not affected heavily by the horrific casualties that the Russian army has taken.”
Murrett also addressed Russia’s ability to protect its infrastructure, suggesting that Moscow can do little to stop the attacks due to the sheer number of potential targets. He compared Ukraine’s strategy to asymmetric warfare, noting that the ability to launch hundreds of drones at a single area makes defence extremely difficult.
“This is another classic example of asymmetric warfare, and the Ukrainians can hold it at risk,” Murrett said, adding that this capability allows Ukraine to continue the campaign, which President Volodymyr Zelensky recently extended for an additional 40 days.
Be First to Comment