Russia’s biggest online shopping platform, Wildberries, has been hit hard by Ukrainian drone attacks on its massive warehouses. One big strike torched a huge logistics hub in Elektrostal, just outside Moscow, with more attacks following on sites in southern Russia. Fires raged, there were casualties, and a ton of goods went up in smoke.
For millions of Russians — especially in places far from regular shops — Wildberries (and its rival Ozon) is basically their go-to for everything from clothes to appliances. These platforms work like giant marketplaces where thousands of small independent sellers store and sell their stuff. Now a bunch of those sellers have lost serious money overnight: one woman selling school supplies saw her whole fresh delivery burn right before the busy back-to-school season, and another lost the equivalent of over £13,000 in teen clothing stock. Many are pausing new shipments because they’re worried about more attacks.
Wildberries’ owner has tried to soften the blow with some discounts and fee waivers, but sellers aren’t expecting full compensation — the company quietly added drone attacks to its “force majeure” list just days before the strikes.
Zelensky openly said Ukraine is bringing the war back to Russia in response to all the Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and warehouses. Meanwhile, these hits are piling onto other problems Russian small businesses are already facing: higher taxes, fuel shortages from earlier strikes on refineries, internet disruptions, and a tough economic climate with inflation and falling oil revenues. It’s another blow to businesses that Putin has called vital for keeping the country going during the war.
In short, the attacks are showing how Ukraine’s long-range drones are starting to bite into everyday Russian life and commerce, not just military targets.
You’re missing that Ukrainian intelligence is crashing Russian. Successful attacks on Kerch bridge, smuggling drones inside Russia, multiple successful assassinations of high ranking officials… What did Russia manage to do? Assassinate some opponents in Spain and Poland, assassinate Andriy Parubiy and pay some people to start fires inside Europe. Other that that? Not much. Putin has great security and so does Zelensky. If Russia could assassinate him they would.
Huh? I’m talking about killing Putin. I’m not sure if you meant to reply to someone else, but you’re speaking of war itself, not why Ukraine just doesn’t finally kill Putin or why Russia doesn’t level presidential palace. Reminder that Russia still has plenty of ballistic missiles, drones so many they can easily overwhelm air defenses, etc. They really should not have a problem to strike a building.
I’m not denying that Russia is losing or Ukrainian intelligence is wrecking havoc, that was never the question.
The intelligence is who’s providing security to both Putin and Zelensky. You need to hide their movements and provide good personal security. Putin has great personal security because he’s an ex KGB and expert himself in those things. He barely shows up in public. When he had to take part in the independence day parade he was scared shitless and even used Trump to get Ukraine not to stage any attacks. Ukraine can’t kill him because he’s hiding somewhere in a bunker all the time.
It’s the same with Zelensky. You can see Russia can’t get to any Ukrainian officials, they didn’t manage to assassinate anyone in retaliation for the generals Ukraine killed. They obviously will not be able to kill Zelensky who has the best security in Ukraine. And no, you can’t just drop missile on him. He’s not sitting in his office all day.
3 years is a long time. It still feels weird that they managed to level cities, but not presidential palaces, including kremlin