Huge columns of smoke

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Towering columns of smoke are now rising daily in Russia.(Bild: Krone-Collage/X.com/@ZelenskyyUa)

The Ukrainian military has once again struck fear into Russia. A swarm of drones targeted distribution centers belonging to Wildberries, the “Russian Amazon.” These centers went up in flames at several locations—as videos on social media show. 

According to official reports, at least seven people were killed and dozens more injured in the Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia. The Tambov region was particularly hard hit. Seven people died there, and 25 were injured, Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov announced on Telegram on Saturday.

The victims were employees of a distribution center operated by the Russian online retailer Wildberries. The town of Kotovsk, which was hit, is located about 500 kilometers southeast of Moscow by car.

Tall Plumes of Smoke Near Moscow as Well
Wildberries’ second-largest warehouse in the Moscow region was also hit, as the company itself confirmed. In the city of Elektrostal—about 50 kilometers east of Moscow—24 people were injured, some seriously, Governor Andrei Vorobyov added.

The Ukrainian leadership described the distribution centers as a weapons hub: “The aggressor used them to deliver sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained. The Ukrainian leader thanked his armed forces for “the precise execution” of the mission.

A high-ranking Ukrainian official told the “Financial Times” that this attack was in retaliation for Russian strikes on facilities belonging to Nova Poshta—Ukraine’s private postal service.

After the first strikes, many Wildberries employees fled on foot, as seen in videos. In the wake of the attacks, a thick, dark layer of clouds also rolled over Moscow—casting an enormous shadow over the Russian capital.

Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim described it as a “terrible night.” Rescue and firefighting efforts are ongoing. She expressed her deepest sympathy to the families of the victims. However, according to the *Moscow Times*, financial support remains limited. 

Wildberries drastically revised its merchant contracts effective July 7, 2026—just a few days before this major attack. Under a newly worded force majeure clause, the company is no longer obligated to compensate sellers for goods destroyed by drone, missile, or artillery attacks.

Merchants must therefore bear the financial loss for the burned products in Elektrostal and Kotovsk themselves.

Oil Depot Also on Fire
In the area around the capital, a fire also broke out at an oil depot in the city of Noginsk. A maternity hospital there also had to be evacuated for safety reasons. Furthermore, Ukrainian medium-range strikes hit targets in the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, as well as in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Russians Attack Odessa
According to official reports, one person was killed in a Russian attack on the port of the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odessa. Three other people were injured, regional governor Oleh Kiper reported on the messaging app Telegram.

According to the report, a ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda was hit during the attack. Port facilities such as buildings, storage tanks, and warehouses were damaged.