The Volgograd region of Russia was the target of a significant Ukrainian airstrike late Thursday into Friday, as confirmed by Governor Andrei Bocharov. Reports indicate that fires erupted at an industrial facility and a storage depot following the attack.
Telegram channels monitoring the war reported strikes on a warehouse belonging to the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, as well as Lukoil’s refinery. The Russian Telegram channel Exilenova noted that the Wildberries distribution center in Volgograd, a logistics complex covering 44,000 square meters, sustained damage in the assault. Online images depicted thick black smoke billowing from the area.
Exilenova also reported that the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery was hit. This facility is one of the largest refineries in Russia, producing gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and various petroleum products.
Governor Bocharov stated that five individuals were injured in what he labeled a massive attack on the region that occurred overnight. Wildberries, one of the largest online retailers in Russia, released a statement via Telegram acknowledging that one of its logistics centers in Volgograd caught fire due to the strike, but confirmed that there were no casualties.
Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Wildberries facilities as part of a broader strategy that has included targeting energy installations, contributing to supply crises across much of Russia.
Wildberries had previously reported that several of its other warehouses were struck just the day prior, and the company announced it had disbursed a second round of financial support to nearly 100,000 sellers whose goods were damaged in the attacks.
Ukrainian officials assert that deep strikes into Russian territory constitute “long-range sanctions” aimed at undermining Moscow’s military capabilities and compelling it to end the ongoing conflict that has persisted for over four and a half years.
Wildberries Under Increasing Pressure from Strikes
The ongoing campaign of Ukrainian attacks against Wildberries warehouses—Russia’s closest equivalent to Amazon—imposes significant costs on both retailers and customers, according to the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Ukrainian forces have launched a deliberate campaign targeting Wildberries facilities across both Russia and occupied Ukraine, which began on the night of July 17-18. Ukrainian officials claim that these logistics centers supply the Russian military with drone components and navigation equipment.
Attacks on Wildberries warehouses occurred again on the night of July 29-30, affecting facilities in the Penza region and the Udmurt Republic. ISW recently assessed that the escalation of Ukrainian strikes against Wildberries facilities will likely cause increasing hardships for Russians using the platform.
Many Russian merchants selling through Wildberries have complained about the personal impact of the attacks, as recent strikes have destroyed their merchandise. For instance, Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that approximately 1,500 Wildberries sellers in his area lost their goods due to fires resulting from the recent Ukrainian attacks.
Russia Struggles to Strengthen Air Defense
Russian authorities appear to be focusing on addressing supply issues for Wildberries that affect ordinary citizens, rather than prioritizing the urgent need to protect the Russian rear from Ukrainian strikes, ISW notes.
Russia has struggled to meet its significant air defense needs even before the onset of Ukraine’s campaign against Wildberries in mid-July. The recent Ukrainian attacks on this new set of targets are expected to further strain Russian air defense systems.
ISW continues to estimate that Russia is unlikely to adequately address its growing air defense requirements, as its defense industrial base and military will face challenges in rapidly strengthening their air defense umbrella to cover both the front line and its vast rear area simultaneously.
Ukrainian forces will likely be able to continue, if not intensify, their long-range strike campaign, and increased investments in Ukraine’s strike capabilities against Russia’s vulnerable rear will significantly diminish Moscow’s ability to prolong the war, ISW stated in its latest assessment.
