Kotovsk residents urged to stay indoors as drone strike ignites massive warehouse fire

A drone strike ignited a massive fire at a Wildberries warehouse in Kotovsk, Russia's Tambov Oblast, on August 26. Monitoring channels reported that the fire consumed 100,000 square meters of the Wildberries logistics hub, which was designed to store 54 million items once fully operational. Russian air defense forces reportedly intercepted 16 drones over the region, though the precise number of drones that targeted the warehouse remains unknown.

Kotovsk Mayor Alexei Plakhotnikov advised residents to remain indoors, close windows, and minimize outdoor activities for two days to prevent carbon monoxide and smoke inhalation. Images circulated online showing Russian forces deploying firefighting aircraft to combat the blaze, with thick smoke plumes visible from tens of kilometers away.

Ukrainian defense contractor Fire Point claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that Ukrainian forces utilized FP-1 drones to strike not only the Wildberries hub but also an oil refinery in Nizhny Novogorod Oblast. The Kotovsk facility, one of Wildberries' primary logistics centers in Central Russia, was previously targeted on July 18, resulting in a fire that killed seven employees and forced the immediate closure of the facility.