Ozon, Russia’s second-biggest e-commerce platform, sustained significant damage from a series of overnight Ukrainian drone strikes targeting its logistics facilities across southern Russian regions. The company reported fires at warehouses in Krasnodar, Makhachkala in Dagestan, and other locations, with several employees injured in the assaults. Regional authorities also reported civilian casualties, with Russia’s defence ministry stating that three children died in Krasnodar and six additional children required hospitalization.
The strikes represent an escalation in Ukraine’s campaign against major Russian e-commerce infrastructure. Ukrainian officials have characterized such attacks as targeting dual-use logistics hubs that support Russian military operations, though Moscow denies these allegations. Ukraine’s defence ministry stated that the strikes aimed to disrupt enemy logistics and harm the broader Russian economy. The campaign has previously focused on Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, which Ukrainian forces have hit repeatedly in recent weeks.
The attacks triggered immediate financial consequences for Ozon, with company shares declining as much as 12 percent on the Moscow Exchange. Shares of AFK Sistema, Ozon’s major shareholder, fell nearly 13 percent. The Kremlin indicated it was exploring options to provide state support to the company amid the crisis. The overnight strikes followed a separate Ukrainian attack on an Ozon facility in the Samara region the previous day.
Ozon and Wildberries function as Russia’s dominant e-commerce platforms, collectively serving an estimated 85-90 percent of Russia’s economically active population. Unlike Western counterparts, these marketplaces primarily connect independent sellers with customers rather than selling goods directly. This structure means many losses from the attacks are absorbed by third-party merchants. In remote areas with limited retail infrastructure, Russians rely heavily on these platforms for essential goods.
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the strikes by accusing Ukraine of opening a “Pandora’s box” through economic targeting, vowing retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian economic sectors. Russia has conducted extensive attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure since launching its full-scale military campaign, with recent assaults hitting warehouses and cargo terminals.
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