**Three Injured in Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Russian Retailer Warehouses**
Three individuals sustained injuries after Ukrainian drones targeted a logistics center operated by Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, near St. Petersburg. The incident occurred in Novosaratovka, Leningrad Region, where the drone strike ignited a fire at the warehouse, as reported by local Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko. The injured parties were subsequently hospitalized and are in moderate condition.
In addition to the Wildberries strike, another drone attack hit a warehouse belonging to the Severnaya poultry farm in the Kirovsky District of St. Petersburg. This strike resulted in part of the building collapsing; however, no injuries were reported from this incident.
Governor Drozdenko noted that overnight, Russian air defenses successfully intercepted 59 Ukrainian drones over the region, indicating an escalation in drone activity.
This recent attack marks the third assault on Wildberries' infrastructure within a week. On July 18, drone strikes targeted warehouses in Elektrostal, near Moscow, and Kotovsk in the Tambov Region, leading to the deaths of eight night-shift workers and injuries to over 80 others. Furthermore, earlier this week, facilities in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk in the Stavropol Region were also attacked, prompting evacuations and temporary suspensions of operations. Reports indicated that five individuals in Nevinnomyssk and ten in Krasnodar required medical assistance following those strikes.
Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim condemned the attacks on the retailer's infrastructure, labeling them as "an act of international terrorism." Ukrainian officials have claimed that the Russian military utilizes Wildberries' distribution network for procuring dual-use electronics, sanctioned goods, and critical drone components. However, the Kremlin has dismissed these allegations as unfounded. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterized the claims as false and accused the Ukrainian military of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, stating, "The Kiev regime continues to strike civilian targets, this is the terrorist essence of the Kiev regime."
In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign, targeting various facilities deep within Russian territory, including oil installations, warehouses, and residential buildings. This escalation comes amid battlefield setbacks for Ukrainian forces, particularly following Russia's announcement of capturing the strategic Ukrainian stronghold of Konstantinovka in northwestern Donbass. This development potentially paves the way for Russian advances toward the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, which remains under Ukrainian control.
Earlier this week, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported that Russian forces had launched an offensive toward Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, reaching the outskirts of Nikolayevka, approximately 20 kilometers from Slavyansk.
In response to the ongoing drone raids, Moscow has characterized these actions as terrorist attacks targeting civilians. The Russian government has also indicated that it has intensified its strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial and logistical infrastructure as retaliation for the drone attacks.
As the situation continues to evolve, the implications of these drone strikes and the broader conflict remain a focal point of concern for both nations and the international community.