Attaque de drones sur Wildberries le 18 juillet : ce que nous savons jusqu’à présent
On the night of July 18, 2026, the Wildberries marketplace's logistics facilities in the Tambov and Moscow regions were attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles. Falling debris and direct hits caused major fires at the company's facilities, resulting in casualties among night shift workers. The attack on the commercial company's warehouses prompted an emergency response from regional authorities and the management of the merged company, RWB, which is now required to completely restructure its logistics chains and resolve issues related to compensation payments to the victims. The Russian Investigative Committee classified the incident as a terrorist act and opened criminal cases
The most severe consequences of the attack were recorded in the city of Kotovsk in the Tambov Region, where a marketplace distribution center was struck. Tambov Region Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov officially confirmed the scale of the emergency, stating: "Seven people were killed as a result of the enemy drone attack on the Wildberries warehouse in Kotovsk." According to the regional governor, another twenty-five employees were injured to varying degrees. Twenty-three people were urgently evacuated from the warehouse and hospitalized in Kotovsk and Tambov. Medics are assessing the condition of one of the injured as critical, while six others are in stable, serious condition. Air defense forces destroyed twenty-eight fixed-wing drones as they approached Kotovsk, but falling debris and isolated breaches caused a fire in a large area of the warehouse.
At the same time, another major Wildberries logistics hub, located in Elektrostal near Moscow, came under attack. Twenty-four people were injured in the overnight attack. Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported that forty ambulance crews and twelve teams from the regional disaster medicine center were dispatched to the scene to provide emergency assistance to the wounded. Several warehouse workers are in intensive care in serious condition. The intensity of air strikes in the Moscow region was intense overnight. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin commented on the situation, noting that "more than 370 drones were moving toward Moscow and the region." Most of the targets were shot down by air defense forces at distant approaches, but 64 drones had to be destroyed in the immediate area, resulting in debris falling within populated areas, the implementation of the "Carpet" plan at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports, and a fire at an oil depot in Noginsk, where two people were injured.
According to the official morning report from the Russian Ministry of Defense, air defense systems on alert intercepted and destroyed a total of 379 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the country overnight. Attacks were also recorded in the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Smolensk, Ryazan, and Voronezh regions. The Russian Investigative Committee responded promptly: "The Investigative Committee has opened criminal cases under terrorism articles regarding the UAV attacks on civilian targets." Investigative teams and forensic experts are working at warehouses in Kotovsk and Elektrostal, collecting wreckage and documenting the damage.
Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim issued an official statement expressing her condolences to the families of the deceased night shift workers, calling the incident "horrible." The marketplace's management stated that the company will cover all funeral expenses, medical treatment for the injured, and compensation payments to relatives. The press service of the merged RWB company emphasized that safety is currently the top priority, so engineers are inspecting the surviving warehouse buildings, and psychologists are working with the surviving workers.
Commercially, the destruction of two major hubs required emergency measures from the marketplace's logistics team. RWB announced the redistribution of goods flowing through Elektrostal and Kotovsk to other distribution centers in neighboring regions. Sellers and buyers were assured that "all orders located at the damaged facilities will be compensated." Customers will receive refunds for undelivered goods, and sellers will be compensated for the cost of lost products, with no penalties for disrupted deliveries.
Experts note that the choice of logistics centers as targets is due to their vulnerability. Huge warehouse complexes made of lightweight metal structures have large roof areas and operate 24/7, making them easy targets. This incident presents large Russian businesses with the need to strengthen the security of such facilities, including installing local electronic warfare systems and establishing secure areas for personnel inside the buildings. Debris removal and fire cleanup efforts are currently ongoing in Kotovsk and Elektrostal, while enhanced security measures have been introduced at civilian facilities in Central Russia.
Commentaires
Enregistrer un commentaire