A New Long-Range Strategy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed responsibility for a series of massive drone attacks against oil refineries and logistics hubs deep within Russian territory. This offensive marks a significant milestone in Ukraine's strike capabilities, hitting targets at distances previously thought impossible.
One of the most distant targets was the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in the Republic of Bashkortostan, located more than 1,300 kilometers from the front lines. Another strike hit the Slavneft-Yanos plant in the Yaroslavl region, about 700 kilometers from the border. Verified images showed massive columns of smoke rising over Yaroslavl, roughly 280 kilometers northeast of Moscow. The regional governor, Mikhail Yevrayev, called it the most massive attack on the area to date.
Targeting the 'Russian Amazon'
Beyond refineries, Ukraine has opened a new front against the commercial network that supports daily consumption for millions of Russians. In just 17 days, Ukrainian drones hit more than a dozen warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest e-commerce platform.
On August 7, 2026, an attack struck a warehouse in Yekaterinburg, in the Ural Mountains, more than 2,000 kilometers from the border. Regional Governor Denis Pasler reported that three drones hit the warehouse roof, while Kremlin representative Artyom Zhoga said 800 people were evacuated with no injuries reported.
What is Wildberries?
Known globally as the 'Russian Amazon', Wildberries processes over seven million orders daily and has more than 110 million active users. Unlike Amazon, which also sells directly, Wildberries primarily operates as a massive marketplace for third-party sellers, where hundreds of thousands of small factories, workshops, and family businesses store their products before shipping them across Russia.
Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak explained that the goal of these attacks is to show Russian citizens the effects of the war. When online commerce is disrupted, they instantly lose the prospects they would have in a non-belligerent country.
Economic and Social Impact in Russia
The Ukrainian strategy aims to short-circuit everyday economic life. When a warehouse is destroyed, it's not a single large company that loses merchandise, but thousands of small businesses simultaneously. More than 800,000 square meters of logistics space, approximately 14% of the group's capacity, have been destroyed or severely damaged, with the estimated value of lost goods exceeding $1.3 billion.
Russian consumers are already feeling the consequences: significant delivery delays, blocked returns, and lost merchandise. The population's dependence on these platforms means that each destroyed warehouse simultaneously affects manufacturers, transporters, suppliers, and customers, shattering the sense of economic normalcy that Russia had managed to preserve despite the war.
Zelensky and the Race for Missile Defense
Despite the success of these long-range incursions, President Zelensky is pushing for Ukraine to maintain its technological development pace, especially in anti-aircraft defense systems to counter Russian ballistic missiles. Zelensky announced a joint European anti-ballistic development program involving 10 countries and stated that Ukraine is capable of producing its own anti-ballistic missile and launcher.
In parallel with the attacks on Russian territory, Ukrainian defenses in the eastern regions remain under heavy pressure from the Russian army, which is trying to breach the so-called 'Fortress Belt' in the Donetsk province. More than 800 people, including 91 minors, have been evacuated from the area in the last 24 hours.