Ukrainian Drones Attack Wildberries Hub and Oil Refinery in Bashkortostan
Ukraine has struck more than two dozen Wildberries facilities in the last month.
Ukrainian drones struck a Wildberries logistics hub and an oil refinery in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan on Thursday, according to regional officials and exiled news outlets. Sixteen drones were shot down over the city of Salavat, while five others fell in the nearby Chishminsky district. Both areas are situated around 1,200 kilometers east of Moscow and over 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Two individuals were injured in the attacks and are receiving medical care. The falling debris from the drones ignited a fire at an industrial zone, believed to be the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery, which produces 2.7% of Russia's total refining output. The refinery temporarily halted operations following a similar attack last month.
Wildberries, Russia's largest e-commerce platform, reported a fire at one of its facilities in another industrial area; however, staff had been evacuated prior to the incident, and no retail products were stored there. A Ka-32 firefighting helicopter was dispatched to assist in extinguishing the blaze in the Chishminsky district.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported that its air defense systems intercepted 362 Ukrainian drones across 18 regions, including the republic of Bashkortostan, on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. The attacks led to temporary flight suspensions and restrictions at regional airports in Ufa, Kazan, Samara, and Krasnodar. The Moscow Times, an independent news outlet, criticized the Russian government for their actions, stating that these attacks are part of an attempt to silence independent journalism in Russia.
The organization has been labeled as an "undesirable" entity and faces potential prosecution due to its reporting.
Written by urgent.news from The Moscow Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
