Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Wildberries rival, Ozon, in Russia's Orenburg

Ukrainian forces reportedly deployed drone strikes against the Russian city of Orenburg on August 23, targeting a logistics center belonging to the online marketplace Ozon, according to Russian Telegram media outlets. Images and videos circulating on social media allegedly depict smoke emanating from the warehouse following the alleged assault.

Air raid warnings were in effect prior to the strike. This marks the second direct attack on Ozon's facilities, with an earlier assault occurring on August 22 in Samara Oblast. The accuracy of the reports remains unconfirmed by the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine's military has not issued an official statement regarding the reported attack.

The true extent of the damage is yet to be determined. Following months of strikes on Wildberries facilities, Ukraine's military appears to have intensified its focus on Ozon sites across Russia, with Ukrainian officials attributing the attacks to the company's sales to the Russian military. The Defense Ministry stated after the August 22 attack that systematic strikes on storage centers for dual-use goods are hindering the enemy's operations and adversely affecting Russia's economy.

Orenburg, situated in southwestern Russia near the Kazakhstan border, is approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away from the Russia-Ukraine frontier. Elsewhere in Russia, a large fire broke out at a warehouse in St. Petersburg overnight on August 22, authorities reported. The fire, which engulfed an area of at least 82,000 square meters (882,000 square feet) in the Kolpino district, southeast of central St. Petersburg, damaged a nearby Ozon logistics center owned by Russia's second-largest online marketplace and main competitor to Wildberries.

The origin of the blaze remains unclear. Air raid alerts were not issued in the Leningrad Oblast, and no explosions were heard in the vicinity.