(KOLEDINO, MOSCOW OBLAST) – Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s largest Wildberries logistics warehouse in Koledino, south of Moscow, and a smaller facility in Domodedovo on the night of 16th August 2026, igniting vast fires that consumed hundreds of thousands of square metres of storage. Footage showed intense flames sweeping across the 250,000 square metre Koledino complex, the biggest in the country, with heat softening metal frames until sections collapsed. Firefighters and a water carrying helicopter arrived at Domodedovo while walls still stood, yet the structure later caved in under extreme temperatures from densely packed dry goods that fuelled the blaze.
Russian sources reported more than 100 drones intercepted over the Moscow region, with interception points mapped across outer and inner air defence layers equipped with S-300 and Pantsir systems. Multiple waves still reached their targets. Civilian drone footage captured the scale of the Koledino inferno, set to Mozart’s Lacrimosa by one operator. A second, smaller fire burned at Domodedovo, where an FPV drone training field had been operating inside the warehouse days earlier.
Wildberries operates more than 209 sites across Russia totalling about 5.6 million square metres. Eleven major complexes now completely destroyed account for roughly 1.38 million square metres, or a quarter of capacity. With further relocations and disruptions, effective losses approach 30 to 35 per cent. The company carries thin margins of around 5 per cent or less and substantial bank debts measured in billions of dollars. Analysts assess survival as improbable under continued pressure.
Earlier strikes included Elektrostal on 18th July 2026, where three large complexes were left as scrap metal after only a small section was saved. A worker transferred from Elektrostal to Koledino lost his second job within a month. A Krasnodar reseller reported losses of around 18 million roubles (approximately 212,000 US dollars, 157,000 pounds sterling, 183,000 euros) in stock plus further debts of one million roubles (about 11,800 US dollars, 8,700 pounds sterling, 10,200 euros). Young warehouse staff described two weeks of intense preparation of a new block reduced to ashes in a single strike, with jackets and other goods destroyed.
Company statements after previous fires, such as Voronezh on 11th August, claimed goods were mostly undamaged and facilities evacuated in advance. Satellite images and ground photographs of Aleksin and other sites showed only twisted metal frames, wiring and ash. Customers have received partially burnt clothing. Resellers report stock seized or unpaid. Russian social media mixed dark humour about selling pickup points with open regret at not having left the country years earlier.
The campaign has turned Russia’s vast territory into a liability. Limited numbers of A-50 airborne early warning aircraft cannot cover the western approaches continuously, allowing concentrated drone clusters to saturate local defences. Footage of surviving FP-1 drones over Moscow and widespread filming by residents underscored the psychological impact. Ukrainian sources link the warehouses to dual use logistics supporting Russian forces; the company denies military involvement.
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