Long-range Ukrainian drones attacked a major warehouse belonging to Russia’s largest online retailer, burning it to the ground, local authorities said Wednesday. The depot in the Tambov region, southeast of Moscow, was attacked on July 18, killing seven people. That attack was the start of Ukraine’s air campaign that has dealt repeated blows to Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries. The company’s size and commercial importance drew comparisons with Amazon. Ukraine’s next-generation drone capabilities developed since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022 have allowed kyiv to attack Wildberries facilities across the country in recent weeks. Ukraine says products sold by the company include technical equipment and components used by the Russian military, which the company denies. The attacks have unsettled Russians living far from the front lines and hurt small businesses. Ukraine has also attacked oil facilities that are the backbone of the economy of Russia, which is one of the world’s largest energy producers. Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces attacked a Lukoil refinery overnight in Kstovo, in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region. The facility, which has an annual processing capacity of around 125 million barrels, was burned in the attack, according to a statement from the General Staff. Nizhny Novgorod has been repeatedly attacked by Ukraine. Governor Gleb Nikitin confirmed the attack and said an unspecified “industrial facility” was damaged, without giving further details. The relentless bombing led Russian President Vladimir Putin to decree that the state can temporarily take control of critical infrastructure facilities if private owners do not protect them from Ukrainian drone strikes or rebuild them after the attacks. Analysts said the move was aimed at forcing companies to pay for their own security and recover damaged assets, despite the cost. Russia has attacked Ukraine with ballistic and cruise missiles, powerful gliding bombs and aircraft-powered drones, killing thousands of civilians. A woman and a 4-year-old boy were killed in an attack on a residential building in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, emergency services said on Wednesday. Ukraine has launched hundreds of drones at Russia almost every night, hoping to overwhelm air defenses. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces overnight shot down 426 Ukrainian drones in 15 Russian regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. Subscribe to Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the day’s biggest headlines. Ukraine attacked Russian oil facilities, airfields, logistics and infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post on Wednesday. He did not give further details about the objectives. Also on Wednesday, Zelenskyy awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom of Ukraine, one of his highest honors, for his “outstanding personal merits” in protecting human life and freedom and strengthening ties with the United States. Musk is one of the most influential and controversial private sector figures in the Ukrainian war effort. Its Starlink satellite internet network has become deeply embedded in Ukraine’s military operations, with commanders and soldiers relying on satellite connectivity to communicate and coordinate operations. Starlink does not currently operate on Russian territory, but Zelenskyy wants Musk to reconsider and allow Ukrainian forces to maintain satellite connectivity for longer-range drone strikes targeting Russia’s military and economic infrastructure. The overnight attack on the Wildberries facility in Tambov was confirmed by the company, which stated that the warehouse was evacuated. He did not say the extent of the damage. Tambov Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov said the fire destroyed the logistics center and injured two people. Elsewhere, two people were killed and two others injured in Russia’s Lipetsk region, south of Moscow, after a drone fell on a house, setting it on fire, Gov. Igor Artamonov said.___Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
