Did you know that Russia has an online retail clone of Amazon called Wildberries? And just like Amazon here, Wildberries relies on huge warehouses to store and ship products to customers. Over the weekend, Ukrainian drones hit a couple of these warehouses.
Eight people have been killed and 62 injured after Ukrainian drones struck two warehouses belonging to Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries, according to Russian officials.
Seven deaths and 25 injuries occurred at a warehouse in the city of Tambov, roughly 295 miles (475km) south-east of Moscow. One death and 37 injuries occurred at another Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal in the Moscow region…
Serhii Kuzan, chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, told the BBC that Wildberries was a “vital component” of Russian logistics, and that its website had been used by Russian volunteers to purchase military equipment including walkie-talkies, body armour and drone components.
“The primary rationale for striking Wildberries’ warehouses is to disrupt Russian logistics and the supply of dual-use goods, critical electronics, sanctioned goods and the like to the Russian army and Russian arms manufacturers,” he said.
“The collateral damage from such strikes could also have a serious impact on the Russian economy, as well as a psychological effect on Russian society and, likely, on continued support for the war.”
There is a lot of video of these strikes, including the initial attack.
Epic that this all started from this just a few hours ago. pic.twitter.com/zwsONsVvhy
— Johan himself – Johan Travels (@johantravels) July 18, 2026
Impressive footage of an Ukrainian drone striking into the Wildberries logistics hub in Elektrostal, Moscow region, in Russia. pic.twitter.com/Cp8Y20rRCo
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) July 18, 2026
This particular warehouse is only about 30 miles east of Moscow. The whole thing caught fire.
Closer footage of the huge fire at the Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal, Moscow region, after the overnight drone attack on Russia. https://t.co/heidwa9zQM pic.twitter.com/nOyJ0wcRXl
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 18, 2026
For those who don’t know:
Wildberries is Russia‘s largest online retailer and e-commerce marketplace. It is an important logistics hub. The loss will be felt by Russia‘s industry and private customers alike, especially in the Moscow region. pic.twitter.com/LFkbYIXbJW
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) July 18, 2026
Nothing could survive this fire and there was no way to put it out.
Spectacular videos coming from Elektrostal, Moscow region, Russia . Several of the „Wildberries“ warehouses have been struck by Ukrainian long-range drones and are completely on fire. pic.twitter.com/XsibUMh2Bx
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) July 18, 2026
A helicopter tries to extinguish the massive Wildberries warehouse fire in Elektrostal, Moscow region, after the overnight drone attack on Russia. https://t.co/tALI6HnZwx pic.twitter.com/0uch06CG1j
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 18, 2026
This hall of Wildberries facility in Elektrostal, Moscow region, in Russia has completely been destroyed. pic.twitter.com/wFvJHB3shq
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) July 19, 2026
This was a major logistics hub for the city so it’s going to have an impact on people living in Moscow. Apparently, lots of small businesses had their stock in this warehouse. They will not be reimbursed by the company or the government. It’s just a total loss for them.
There are a bunch more of these big warehouses around Moscow. How many of them will survive the month?
The Moscow metropolitan area generates around 25% of Russia’s GDP. Retail and logistics are major components of the regional economy. Warehouses are easy targets, and the pain for the Russian economy will be enormous. pic.twitter.com/8QE2d3IMw7
— Mykhaïlo Golub (@golub) July 20, 2026
Meanwhile, over the weekend the strikes on Crimea’s electrical grid continued.
Magyar may be wearing an admiral’s uniform these days, but nobody has canceled Operation “Crimean Switch: OFF”
⚡️+12 power nodes. The “Crimean Switch: OFF” campaign continues alongside the fleetfall.
83 Ilyich candles lit between 1 and 18 July.As part of the Unmanned Systems… pic.twitter.com/CV4ocsxIat
— 414 Magyar’s Birds (@414magyarbirds) July 18, 2026
And the ferry taking people back and forth to Crimea is down to two vessels, both of which are damaged and have to be towed by tugboats.
Magyar: Two weeks of MoLoCHKa. Kerch’s ferry crossing is almost gone.
Minus 75% of the Kerch Ferry Crossing’s capacity within two weeks of USF Operation “MoLoCHKa”. 25% remains. Will it survive? Didn’t think so.
Details:
Before the operation began, transport and cargo traffic… pic.twitter.com/ASVBtPFvM3
— 414 Magyar’s Birds (@414magyarbirds) July 19, 2026
Attacks on the shadow fleet in the Black Sea also continue.
CRIMEA⛔️STOP: 7⚓️ shadow fleet vessels, 7⚡️ substations in Crimea and the TOT, 6 air defense assets in rf, and 2 hellishly wild Wild Berries 2.0. The night of July 20 delivered.
⚓️USF Operation “MoLoCHKa”:
7 russian vessels were hunted down overnight — 3 tankers and 4 dry cargo… pic.twitter.com/potxyR1Svj— 414 Magyar’s Birds (@414magyarbirds) July 20, 2026
This included another successful sea drone attack.
🔥⚓️ The SBU hit another Russian shadow-fleet tanker, Avero, in the Black Sea, and struck three oil depots in Russia’s Stavropol Krai.
This is the fourth Russian Suezmax-class shadow tanker hit by the SBU in the past 10 days. pic.twitter.com/jfW5TZhbZx
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 19, 2026
Also another attack took out a very expensive Russian bomber. You can see the tail has been detached.
🛰️Satellite image shows the destroyed Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber at Engels airbase with its tail section torn off.
The aircraft was hit during an SBU long-range drone operation in Saratov region https://t.co/betBpVlCWN pic.twitter.com/5iIrQWOpLk
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) July 19, 2026
Fuel shortages continue throughout the country, but apparently an effort is being made to ensure drivers in Moscow get a disproportionate share of what is left.
Russia’s fuel crisis continues to entertain the Free World, as Russians explode into violent rages over meager governmentally limited gasoline rations. pic.twitter.com/DE28tgk8Zr
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) July 15, 2026
Meanwhile, news about what is happening isn’t necessarily being shared in Russia.
Russians are starting to feel what war is like.
This Russian from Moscow region says he hasn’t slept at night, mentions that the oil depot is burning and there is nothing on the news about it.
He is worried whether drones can target him personally, and whether he can shoot it… https://t.co/zeia81zHq7 pic.twitter.com/wK48RSCmhP
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 20, 2026
For some Russians, life still goes on as normal, including summer vacations.
“It’s not just a security issue – it’s also a moral issue. While Ukrainians are dying, Russians are spending their holidays in Europe. ” – Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro called on EU countries to tighten their visa policy toward Russian citizens.
“A very troubling sign is… pic.twitter.com/PupdvEoaVA
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 17, 2026
The situation in Russia continues to deteriorate in ways it has not in the first four years of the war. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s installment.
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