(PENZA AND SARAPUL, RUSSIA) – Coordinated Ukrainian drone strikes have set ablaze two more Wildberries logistics hubs in Russia, intensifying a targeted campaign against the heavily indebted retailer. The overnight attacks on warehouses in Penza and Sarapul in the Udmurtia region mark the seventh and eighth such facilities hit in a fortnight, threatening a banking crisis and disrupting military supply chains.
Videos circulating on Russian social media show vast smoke columns and flames engulfing the distribution centres. Residents filmed the sites burning uncontrollably, as local fire services were unable to extinguish the blazes. “You’re just going to have to wait until it burns down, because there’s no firefighting capability in the world that can put this out,” an observer noted about similar recent industrial fires in Russia.
The strikes occurred early in the morning before first light. Footage from Penza captured two Ukrainian drones flying over the target while sparse tracer fire rose to meet them, suggesting almost non-existent air defences protecting the asset. The drones reportedly traversed over a thousand kilometres of Russian territory across five oblasts without being intercepted.
The Wildberries company, founded by Tatyana Kim, a known associate of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, carries outstanding debts of at least 17.8 billion roubles (£147 million, $187 million). Analysts warn that the destruction of inventory and operational paralysis could force the Russian central government to bail out the firm, dragging state finances into a deeper crisis. Kim had previously written on Telegram that she would “kill every last Ukrainian” in response to the strikes.
The sabotage is also harming the Russian war effort, as volunteer networks rely on the Wildberries platform to procure equipment for military units. Displaced workers are openly voicing anger at authorities. One female reseller, unable to withdraw her revenue, declared in a video, “I’m not going to pay taxes. Go f*** yourselves.” Another seller cried on camera and demanded action from the company’s leadership, stating, “When the hell are you going to start doing something about this?”
Simultaneously, an overnight drone assault struck the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez oil refinery in Perm. One of Russia’s largest facilities, it processes roughly 30 million tonnes of crude annually. Video showed intense flames at the site, with firefighters unable to intervene. “They stand there and they watch,” a commentator said of the emergency crews. Fuel silos at the same plant that had been fitted with anti-drone nets were seen undamaged, suggesting protective measures work where corruption does not siphon funds.
In the backdrop of burning infrastructure, the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin publicly ignored the strikes, instead claiming Russia ranks fourth globally in purchasing power parity. Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov asserted the war “has been having a positive impact on life in our country.”
Separately, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile exploded in a field deep inside Polish territory, approximately 100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, leaving a significant crater. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that two fighter jets, a refuelling aircraft, and an early warning plane were scrambled. “We were prepared to shoot down that missile if it had continued its flight,” Tusk stated. Pilots tracked the projectile and made a calculated decision not to fire once its trajectory showed it would land harmlessly in a rural area.
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