Ozon warehouse in Orenburg hit in drone attack, governor says

An industrial warehouse belonging to Ozon, Russia's second-largest online marketplace and main rival to Wildberries, has been struck by drone debris in the southwestern Orenburg region, according to local Russian officials. The incident marks a widening of long-range aerial strikes against the country's economic infrastructure, as Ukraine systematically targets major logistics hubs supplying the Russian war effort.

Regional governor Yevgeny Solntsev stated that the Russian defence ministry had repelled six drones over the area, with falling debris hitting two industrial facilities, including the Ozon logistics centre. More than 300 people were evacuated from the site, and operational activities at the centre were halted. Authorities reported no injuries from the Orenburg impact, though the governor did not name the second damaged facility. Orenburg is located in southwestern Russia near the border to Kazakhstan, approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border.

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The strike follows a similar aerial attack on an Ozon logistics centre in Russia's Samara region, marking the first direct strike on the company. Ukrainian military officials have increasingly justified these operations against commercial storage facilities by asserting that major online retailers handle dual-use goods for the Russian military. According to a statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense regarding the preceding Samara operation, such systematic attacks hinder enemy operations and exert negative pressure on the broader Russian economy.

Independent verification of the Orenburg strike remains limited, with Russian Telegram channels first circulating reports, photographs, and video footage depicting smoke billowing from the warehouse after air raid alerts sounded across the region. Ozon confirmed the evacuation through a statement published on Telegram. Meanwhile, a separate industrial blaze erupted in the Kolpino district southeast of St. Petersburg near another logistics facility. Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry stated that the fire spread to engulf an area of at least 82,000 square metres (approximately 882,000 square feet), though local officials noted that air raid alerts had not been declared in the Leningrad Oblast, nor were explosions heard in the area.

The cross-border campaign has unfolded alongside intense political developments in Kyiv, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly detailed a rift with recently dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Speaking during a meeting with reporters, Zelenskyy criticized actions taken by Fedorov — who is widely credited with modernizing Ukraine’s armed forces and accelerating the military’s embrace of technology and drone warfare — describing them as misguided and warning that holding elections during wartime would risk fracturing the state. Zelenskyy also addressed mounting budgetary and defense pressures, noting a substantial shortfall in Western air-defense missile deliveries even as Russian ballistic attacks intensify.

To address these vulnerabilities, leaders from eight Nordic and Baltic countries, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden, arrived in Kyiv to confer on strengthening regional air defences. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized the urgent requirement to bolster defensive capabilities, as discussions prepare the ground for an upcoming meeting of the Coalition of the Willing led by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

Recent Developments in the Conflict

• Drone debris strikes industrial facilities, including an Ozon warehouse, in Russia's Orenburg region.
• Nordic and Baltic leaders arrive in Kyiv to discuss bolstering Ukrainian air defense systems.
• President Zelenskyy addresses defense spending shortfalls and political friction following the dismissal of his former defense minister.
• Russian drone strikes continue to impact civilian infrastructure, including residential areas in Kharkiv.

As diplomatic coordination continues through upcoming international summits in Europe, readers can follow broader updates on World coverage, review previous incidents involving Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian logistics, or track ongoing developments regarding cross-border skirmishes and civilian casualties.