NEW DELHI: At least six people were killed and dozens injured after a Russian missile strike hit Ukraine's Kyiv region on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as explosions were reported in the capital during another wave of Russian attacks.
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"Efforts to determine exactly what happened and the fate of those affected are ongoing," Zelenskyy said on Telegram.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said multiple explosions were heard in the capital as Ukrainian air defence systems responded to the Russian assault. He urged residents to remain in shelters while air defence units worked to repel the attack.
The latest strike came as Ukraine intensified its long-range drone campaign inside Russia, targeting warehouses belonging to Wildberries, the country's largest online marketplace.
Ukraine targets Russia's biggest e-commerce company
Ukrainian drones have struck multiple Wildberries logistics facilities over the past week, including warehouses near Moscow, in southern Russia and in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. According to reports, nine people have been killed and dozens injured in the attacks.
The strikes are part of Kyiv's strategy to disrupt Russia's war effort by targeting logistics infrastructure and increasing the economic costs of the conflict inside Russia.
Wildberries, founded in 2004 by former teacher Tatyana Kim, has grown into Russia's largest online retailer, accounting for about 52% of all online orders in the country. The platform serves between 500,000 and 800,000 sellers and operates more than 200 logistics facilities across Russia and neighbouring countries.
Ukraine says facilities supported Russian military
While Zelenskyy did not mention Wildberries by name, Ukrainian authorities have said the targeted facilities were involved in supplying equipment and technical components to the Russian military.
The Kremlin denied the allegation. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Kyiv was attacking civilian infrastructure.
An Associated Press review of Wildberries' website found products that could be used for both civilian and military purposes, including body armour, helmets, radios and electronic equipment. Some products were labelled as "tested in the SVO" or "SVO fighters' choice," using Russia's term for its military campaign in Ukraine.
Small businesses bear the brunt
The warehouse attacks have dealt a heavy blow to thousands of small businesses that rely on Wildberries to store and distribute their goods across Russia.
Many sellers have taken to social media claiming that inventory stored in the damaged warehouses was destroyed. Wildberries has announced measures including reduced storage fees, free transfer of goods to other facilities and discounted loans through Wildberries Bank.
The company also began compensating some affected sellers, particularly smaller businesses whose stock was damaged at its Elektrostal warehouse.
Sergei Semko, a leading analyst at Moscow-based Data Insight, estimated that the attacked warehouses account for about 12% of Wildberries' storage capacity. He said losses from destroyed inventory could reach as much as $3 billion.
