(MOSCOW, RUSSIA) – Ukrainian long range drones struck an oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and a Wildberries logistics hub in Tambov Oblast overnight, according to drone manufacturer Fire Point.
The Defence Forces used FP-1 unmanned aerial vehicles to hit the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, and the Wildberries logistics facility in Kotovsk, Tambov Oblast.
Fire Point stated that the refinery has an annual capacity of approximately 17 million tonnes of oil. The Wildberries logistics hub covers around 108,000 square metres and is designed to store up to 54 million items.
The attacks follow a series of strikes on Russian energy and commercial infrastructure. On the previous day, Ukrainian forces used FP-1 drones to hit the Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai. On the night of 22nd August, the same drone type struck the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery and a logistics hub belonging to Russian online retailer Ozon in Samara Oblast.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence noted at the time that after strikes on Wildberries, it was Ozon’s turn.
Earlier operations have put out of action most of the large logistics centres belonging to Wildberries. One recent target was the company’s hub in the Koledino industrial park, its largest warehouse at 250,000 square metres.
Analysts estimate that Wildberries’ direct losses after losing roughly 20 percent of warehouse capacity within several weeks may exceed 100 billion rubles (£948 million; $1.24 billion; €1.11 billion), and could reach 200 billion rubles (£1.9 billion; $2.45 billion; €2.22 billion) in a worst case scenario. The departure of sellers, many of whom lost businesses and goods worth hundreds of billions of rubles, has already reduced Wildberries’ turnover by a quarter.
The Bell reports that Wildberries’ total funding requirement may reach 1.3 trillion rubles (£12.3 billion; $16.36 billion; €14.4 billion). The company will need to increase its debt by at least that amount. Wildberries has requested state assistance, though it remains unclear how much funding will be provided. Russia’s federal budget deficit has already reached 5.7 trillion rubles (£54 billion; $71.7 billion; €63.2 billion), 1.5 times higher than the annual plan.
Fire Point chief executive Iryna Terek said Ukraine is capable of exerting a real impact on the enemy, adding that Russians understand only the language of force.
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