Ukraine Widens Drone Campaign as Ozon Warehouses Attacked Across Southern Russia

At least three teenagers were killed and six more wounded in the Krasnodar region on Monday morning, Russian authorities said, as Ukrainian drones struck multiple logistics centres belonging to Ozon, the country's second-largest retailer, in a significant escalation of Kyiv's campaign against Russian commercial infrastructure.

The overnight attacks targeted Ozon facilities in the Krasnodar region, the republic of Dagestan, the republic of Adygeya and the Stavropol region, the company confirmed. A large fire broke out at the logistics hub in the town of Enem in Krasnodar after a drone strike, while another blaze was reported at a facility in Dagestan. Workers were evacuated from the warehouses in Adygeya and Stavropol, though those sites were not damaged.

Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's children's rights commissioner, said six children had been hospitalised following the attack in Krasnodar, where local officials reported that debris from a downed drone had fallen onto a "private children's centre". The precise nature of the facility was not immediately clear. Ozon said several people were injured in the Dagestan attack, which was captured in multiple videos shared on social media showing drones flying into the warehouse and exploding in fireballs, while men with automatic rifles attempted to shoot them down.

The strikes represent an intensification of Ukraine's strategy of targeting Russian logistics infrastructure. Ukrainian officials have accused Ozon's larger rival, Wildberries, of supplying the Russian military with drone components and other equipment, and Kyiv began attacking Wildberries facilities more than a month ago. Ozon had already suspended operations at its logistics centre in the Samara region after a Ukrainian drone strike on Saturday, and Monday's attacks suggested a broadening of the campaign to include the retailer's southern operations.

The assault comes as Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine continues into its third year, with Kyiv increasingly turning its attention to targets inside Russia that it deems essential to Moscow's war effort. The Kremlin's brutal campaign has relied heavily on civilian infrastructure and commercial logistics to sustain its military operations, and Ukraine has made clear that it regards such facilities as legitimate targets.

Shares in Ozon fell by as much as 28 per cent on the Moscow Exchange following the attacks, while shares in its major shareholder, the private equity firm AFK Sistema, dropped by more than 13 per cent. The market reaction underscored the commercial impact of Ukraine's drone campaign, which has now disrupted operations at two of Russia's largest online retailers.

The Ukrainian people, defending their sovereignty against an unprovoked assault, have endured Russia's brutal campaign with resilience and determination. Ukrainian forces have consistently demonstrated their capacity to strike deep inside Russian territory, exposing vulnerabilities in Moscow's logistical network and challenging the Kremlin's narrative that the war can be contained.

The World House, which maintains a dedicated page outlining its support for Ukraine at worldhouse.uk/support, continues to document the consequences of Russia's aggression and the measures Ukraine has taken to defend itself. As the conflict enters its third year, the publication reaffirms its solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who have faced relentless attacks on their own civilian infrastructure at the hands of Russian forces.

Reuters contributed reporting to this article.