3 Killed in Russia as Ukraine Sets Wildberries Warehouse and Oil Refinery Ablaze

Aug. 26, 2026 A fire burning at a Wildberries warehouse in the city of Kotovsk, Tambov region. @exilenova_plus / Telegram At least three people were killed in drone attacks across Russia on Wednesday as Ukraine struck and set fire to a Wildberries warehouse in the central Tambov region, the second time the facility has been targeted since July, as well as an oil refinery further to the east. Tambov region Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov said the blaze “completely” destroyed the Wildberries facility in the city of Kotovsk. One worker sustained a concussion from the blast wave, the governor said initially, only later to add that a second person was injured. Wildberries said it safely evacuated all of its employees from the warehouse. It did not comment on the extent of the damage to the facility. Videos and photos shared on social media showed a large column of black smoke rising from the warehouse and spreading across the morning sky in Kotovsk. The smoke cloud was also visible in NASA satellite images. Local officials asked residents to avoid going outside over the next two days due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The Wildberries warehouse in Kotovsk was previously struck on July 18, when Ukraine began its air campaign against the online retailer, which it accuses of helping supply the Russian military. Ukraine has also recently started attacking facilities belonging to Wildberries competitor Ozon. In the neighboring Lipetsk region, a man and a 14-year-old were killed in a fire sparked by a falling drone. In the southwestern Belgorod region, a woman was killed in a drone attack, local authorities said. Elsewhere, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, Ukraine said it struck and set fire to a Lukoil-operated oil refinery in the town of Kstovo. The facility has been attacked at least twice this year. “The war must return to where it came from. Ukraine responds to Russian strikes, and we do so in a way that ensures the cost of the war for the aggressor inevitably rises,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a post on X. Authorities in Nizhny Novgorod only confirmed that an industrial enterprise in the region was damaged in overnight attacks but did not provide further details. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Wildberries , Tambov , Ukraine war , Drones Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Ukrainian Attack Sparks Fire at Wildberries Facility in Yekaterinburg The online retailer said it evacuated its employees from the logistics center, while most of the inventory remained undamaged. 2 Min read At Least 5 Killed in Ukraine’s Latest Drone Attacks Against Wildberries Moscow region authorities said another 10 people were injured in an overnight strike on a warehouse in the city of Chekov. 2 Min read At Least 11 Killed in Ukrainian Attacks in Southern Russia and Annexed Crimea In the central Vladimir region, drone strikes set a Wildberries warehouse ablaze, the latest attack in Ukraine’s campaign against the company. 2 Min read Ukrainian Drones Strike Wildberries Logistics Hubs in Southern Russia The founder of the online retailer said overnight attacks hit two distribution centers in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions. 2 Min read