Ukraine says it struck Russia’s largest online marketplace in deep strike near Moscow
Zelenskyy confirmed drone strikes on Wildberries warehouses and an oil depot near Moscow, saying they supported Russia's drone production.
Ukraine has claimed responsibility for one of its deepest coordinated drone operations inside Russian territory since the start of the full-scale war, targeting logistics facilities belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online marketplace, and an oil depot near Moscow.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the operation, saying Ukrainian forces struck two Wildberries logistics centers in the cities of Elektrostal and Kotovsk, as well as an oil depot in Noginsk, northeast of Moscow. According to Zelenskyy, the facilities played a role in supporting Russia’s military logistics by handling sanctioned electronic components and equipment used for the country’s drone program.
The operation involved Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Special Operations Forces, Armed Forces, Security Service (SBU), and Defense Intelligence (HUR), highlighting the increasingly coordinated nature of Kyiv’s long-range strike campaign.
What Happened
The attacks occurred during an overnight wave of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting multiple regions across western Russia.
Russian authorities acknowledged that the Wildberries facilities had been hit and confirmed a fire at the oil depot in Noginsk. Regional officials also reported casualties at the warehouses and temporary disruptions to transportation and airport operations as Russian air defenses responded to the attack.
The targeted sites are located hundreds of kilometers from the active front lines, making them among the deepest infrastructure targets publicly acknowledged by Ukraine in recent months.
Why Wildberries Matters
Wildberries is Russia’s largest online marketplace and one of the country’s most important logistics companies. Every day, its nationwide network processes millions of consumer orders through an extensive system of warehouses and distribution centers.
Although the company is best known for e-commerce, Zelenskyy said the targeted logistics centers served a dual purpose. According to Ukraine, the facilities handled sanctioned electronic components and equipment that ultimately supported Russia’s drone production and broader military supply chain.
Russia has not confirmed those military functions, and Wildberries has described the affected sites as logistics facilities serving its commercial operations.
The distinction is significant. Modern wars increasingly depend not only on military bases and weapons factories, but also on transportation networks, warehouses, energy infrastructure, and supply chains capable of sustaining industrial-scale military production.
A Shift in Ukraine’s Strategy
Since 2024, Ukraine has steadily expanded its ability to strike targets far beyond the battlefield using domestically produced long-range drones.
Rather than focusing exclusively on troop concentrations or front-line positions, Kyiv has increasingly targeted oil refineries, fuel depots, ammunition storage sites, air bases, manufacturing facilities, and logistics networks that support Russia’s war effort.
The Wildberries operation appears to fit squarely within that strategy.
By targeting infrastructure that Ukraine says contributes to Russia’s military capabilities, Kyiv aims to increase the economic and logistical costs of sustaining the war while forcing Moscow to devote more resources to defending territory far from the front.
The Broader Operation
The warehouse strikes were not the only targets announced by Kyiv.
In his statement, Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces struck 13 vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet operating in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Ukraine argues that this network of ships helps Russia continue exporting oil despite Western sanctions.
Moscow has not independently confirmed those reported maritime losses.
If verified, the combined operation would demonstrate Ukraine’s effort to pressure Russia across multiple domains simultaneously, targeting logistics on land while also disrupting maritime networks tied to Russia’s economy and sanctions evasion.
What It Means
The significance of the operation extends beyond the damage inflicted on individual facilities.
For much of the war, Russian territory behind the front lines remained relatively insulated from direct attack. That dynamic has changed considerably as Ukraine has developed increasingly capable long-range drones and expanded intelligence coordination for deep strikes.
The attack also illustrates how the definition of a military target has evolved in modern warfare. Infrastructure traditionally associated with civilian commerce may become a legitimate target if it is used to support military production or logistics. At the same time, such claims remain subject to competing narratives, making careful attribution essential. In this case, Ukraine says the Wildberries warehouses supported Russia’s drone program, while Russia has not acknowledged those military functions.
As the conflict enters another phase, logistics networks, energy infrastructure, industrial facilities, and transportation hubs are becoming as strategically important as conventional military positions. The battlefield is no longer defined solely by trenches and front lines. Increasingly, it also includes the economic and industrial systems that enable a nation to wage war.
Whether these long-range strikes will significantly alter Russia’s military capabilities remains uncertain. What is clear is that the war continues to expand in both reach and complexity, with critical infrastructure deep inside Russia now playing a more prominent role in the conflict than ever before.