A drone strike has reportedly hit a warehouse belonging to the Russian e-commerce platform Ozon, leading to a large fire. This incident is believed to be the first successful attack on an Ozon facility, following previous strikes on the rival platform Wildberries.
According to sources, Russian air defense forces claim to have intercepted and destroyed numerous drones in the region, although there are reports of damage and several injuries. As of this morning, efforts to extinguish the fire and address the aftermath of the attack are ongoing.
The attack on the Ozon facility, located in the city of Chapayevsk, has produced extensive flames and smoke, with images and videos circulating from Ukrainian monitoring channels, including Exilenova+ and Supernova+.
Furthermore, video footage shared on social media shows a drone successfully striking the warehouse.
Notably, the Ozon distribution center is positioned about one kilometer from two defense-related enterprises: Promsynthez, which produces industrial explosives including TNT and ammonium compounds, and Polimer, which manufactures weapons, ammunition, and explosives for defense purposes. Both companies have previously been targets of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks.
Context
- Since mid-July, logistics facilities belonging to Wildberries have faced almost daily drone attacks. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, by mid-August, seven out of the ten largest Wildberries centers had been rendered inoperative due to these strikes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the attacked warehouses contained drone components and navigation equipment that are subject to sanctions.
- Robert Brody, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ drone systems, hinted on July 31 that Ozon could be the next target for drone operations.
