Ukraine Hits Wildberries Logistics Center and Energy Facility in Volgograd

July 31, 2026 Smoke fills the sky above the city of Volgograd following a Ukrainian drone attack on July 31, 2026. @exilenova_plus / Telegram A Ukrainian drone attack set fire to an energy facility and a warehouse belonging to Wildberries in the southern Volgograd region, local authorities and the online retailer said Friday morning. Volgograd region Governor Andrei Bocharov said at least five people were injured during the overnight attack but did not identify the energy facility by name. NASA's fire monitoring system FIRMS showed several large active fires at the site of a major Lukoil-operated oil refinery just south of the city of Volgograd. In a statement, Wildberries confirmed that a fire broke out at one of its logistics hubs in Volgograd following the Ukrainian drone attack, but reported no casualties at the site. Images shared on social media showed a large column of black smoke rising above the city early Friday. In the neighboring Rostov region, Governor Yury Slyusar said a woman was injured during a separate drone strike in the town of Gukovo. Separately, online retailer and Wildberries competitor Ozon said it was forced to evacuate one of its warehouses in the republic of Tatarstan due to an air raid alert. A video shared on social media purportedly showed employees fleeing the building as a drone crashes in the distance. Russia's Defense Ministry said it intercepted 371 Ukrainian drones across Russia and annexed Crimea between Thursday night and Friday morning. Drone strikes have damaged around a dozen Wildberries warehouses over the past two weeks, destroying an estimated 10% of the company's storage capacity and inflicting losses on tens of thousands of small businesses using the e-commerce platform. Ukraine accuses Wildberries of helping supply the Russian military with parts for drones and other equipment. The company denies the allegations. Read more about: Drones , Ukraine war , Volgograd 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 Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Volgograd Oil Refinery The Volgograd oil refinery is Lukoil’s largest in southern Russia. Ukrainian drone strikes knocked out operations at the facility last Thursday. 1 Min read Ukrainian Drone Attacks Across Southern Russia Kill 1, Injure At Least 16 Meanwhile, in Volgograd, authorities said falling debris from a Ukrainian drone that was destroyed by air defense sparked a fire at an oil refinery. 2 Min read Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Military Site in Southern Russia Eyewitness videos showed thick smoke and explosions at what was claimed to be an airforce base in the Volgograd region housing warplanes. 1 Min read Russia Says Downed 117 Ukrainian Drones, Air Bases Reportedly Targeted Local media in the Nizhny Novgorod region reported at least 10 explosions near the Savasleyka air base. 2 Min read