Ukrainian Drone Strikes Target Russia’s Ozon, Fueling War‑Affecting Civil Economy
Ukrainian drone attacks last night hit Ozon’s warehouses in the southern regions of Krasnodar, Dagestan, Stavropol and Adygea, spreading fire and sparing several workers injured in the onslaught. The company confirmed fires breaking out at its Makhachkala facility around 05:00 local time, with a prior strike igniting a major blaze two hours earlier in Krasnodar.
These attacks follow a week‑long campaign against Wildberries – Russia’s largest online retailer – which Kyiv labels a legitimate target because the firm allegedly stores dual‑use goods for the Russian military. Moscow denies the claim, yet Ozon’s hit sites are now under international scrutiny.
President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of opening ‘Pandora’s box’ with economic strikes and warned of retaliation against Kyiv’s most sensitive economic sectors. Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry reports that three children died in the Krasnodar strike, with six others taken to hospital.
The overnight raids come a day after the Ozon site in the Samara region fell victim to a drone strike. Company executives said several employees were injured and asked for Kremlin‑level support, to which the government replied it was “working with business representatives to develop various options for providing support in this difficult situation.”
Financial markets reacted sharply: Ozon’s shares on the Moscow Exchange plummeted as much as 12%, and its major private‑equity shareholder AFK Sistema fell nearly 13%. Videos verified by the BBC showed a pod of drones striking an Ozon warehouse in Orenburg and sporadic smoke spouts erupting across the Dagestan site.
For many Russians, especially in remote areas, Ozon and its rival Wildberries act as essential “Amazon‑like” marketplaces, providing access to apparel, household goods and other necessities. Their being hit has brought the war’s economic ramifications closer to everyday life. The Kremlin has denied that these platforms facilitate military supply chains.
Ozon, founded in 1998, has grown to the second‑largest e‑commerce player in Russia with widespread pick‑up posts and delivery boxes. The attacks and subsequent losses are felt across its seller network, exacerbating the financial strain on thousands of independent businesses.
The incidents illustrate the widening blurring of lines between combat zones and commercial hubs, where civilian infrastructure becomes a direct target of modern warfare.
