Russian Strikes Kill 16 in Ukraine as Kyiv Targets Logistics Hubs
Ukraine shifts long-range strategy to Russian logistics networks, destroying $1bn in goods at Wildberries warehouses.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Sarah Connor
At least 16 people have been killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight, while Ukrainian forces targeted Wildberries warehouses in St Petersburg and its surrounding area, causing extensive fires.
Russian forces executed 53 attacks today, concentrating main strikes on the Sloviansk and Pokrovsk directions, claiming five lives in the eastern city of Sloviansk alone.
In Kyiv, approximately 100 people sustained injuries, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed, as the capital endured a brutal ballistic barrage.
One attack near Kyiv specifically targeted Defence Ministry adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov and Lyuba Shypovych at a postal terminal, a facility that stored dual-use goods and served as an assembly point for drones, robotic systems, and electronic warfare equipment.
President Zelensky also confirmed a direct hit on Kirov, aiming at a military facility supplying components for aircraft and missile equipment.
The Avitek plant, a key target, manufactures aviation equipment, guided anti-aircraft missiles, and other military hardware; guided aerial bombs were among the specific types of military equipment destroyed at the site.
Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuri Ihnat stated the attack involved three ballistic missiles, with only one successfully intercepted, allowing two to reach their targets.
Beyond the immediate devastation, Ukraine initiated its own offensive, striking Wildberries warehouses in St Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region, sparking large-scale fires.
These retaliatory strikes destroyed goods valued at an estimated 150 billion rubles, approximately 3.8 billion Ukrainian Hryvnia.
The targeted sites cover about 552,000 square metres, roughly one-tenth of Wildberries’ total warehouse capacity.
Wildberries, founded by Tatyana Kim, operates alongside Ozon, collectively selling goods and services equivalent to 8.5 per cent of Russia's gross domestic product.
These companies employ four million people, accounting for over 5 per cent of Russia's workforce.
Kyiv states it now targets logistics hubs used by Russians to acquire military equipment, signaling a strategic shift in Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign.
Kyiv indicated that Kyiv states it now targets logistics hubs used by Russians to acquire military equipment, signaling a strategic shift in Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign.
This new phase moves from oil refineries to critical logistics networks, broadening the focus and directly impacting supply lines.
A drone strike was also reported in the Tver region, further indicating widespread targeting of Russian infrastructure, as the reach of Ukrainian drones extends deep into Russian territory.
This marks at least the third time an exhibition has been hit since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, with civilian and commercial targets increasingly caught in the crossfire.
In a separate incident, a Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian drone that had breached Romania's airspace on Friday.
Wildberries' terms of business explicitly state the company is exempt from liability in 'force majeure' circumstances, including drone strikes.