Several killed in Russian strikes as Ukraine hits Wildberries

Russian strikes on Ukraine killed at least ten people and injured dozens across five Kyiv regions, while Ukrainian drone attacks struck logistics facilities belonging to the e-commerce giant Wildberries. The escalating exchange destroyed critical infrastructure and damaged residential areas.

Deadly Strikes Batter Kyiv and Regional Centers

A wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s capital killed at least 10 people and injured more than two dozen others, according to local officials. The state emergency service reported that the overnight bombardment struck five distinct regions of Kyiv, leaving nine dead and 28 wounded, including four children.

The Russian defence ministry stated that it launched a massive strike against Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities and logistics centres in Kyiv. In the capital’s Darnytsky district, strikes damaged multiple buildings and vehicles, accounting for seven deaths and 14 injuries. Two more people died and eight were wounded in the Solomiansky district when attacks hit a five-storey residential building, while an additional fatality occurred in the surrounding Kyiv region.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Russia deployed a total of 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles and 185 attack drones. Because the country lacks interceptors for United States-supplied Patriot systems, Ukraine downed only one of 27 Russian ballistic missiles during the assault.

It’s getting worse by the day, 64-year-old Liudmyla Nakonechna told the Associated Press from a basement shelter. Whereas before there was an attack once every two weeks, or maybe once a week, now it happens practically every day. It is incredibly hard to bear this psychologically.

Attacks Expand Across Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Crimea

Beyond the capital, the southern and eastern regions absorbed heavy fire from artillery, aerial bombs, and unmanned aerial vehicles. In the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, a barrage of strikes killed two people and wounded six on Friday across five districts, following five fatalities recorded the previous day.

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Governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported that Russian forces struck Dnipropetrovsk at least 50 times in a single day. In Kherson, a Molniya drone hit a moving vehicle, killing a 77-year-old woman and wounding eight bus passengers among others. Cluster munitions struck Kharkiv, killing two people, while Governor Oleh Syniehubov noted that 21 settlements reported impacts from missiles and drones that wounded at least 18 individuals. In Donetsk, Governor Vadym Filashkin confirmed one death after at least 44 shelling incidents.

In Russian-controlled Crimea, a Ukrainian drone strike hit an apartment building, killing two people according to the Russian-installed governor, Sergei Aksyonov. Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry reported intercepting 274 Ukrainian drones overnight and claimed to have struck two cargo vessels in the Black Sea utilized for Ukrainian military interests, alongside fuel storage facilities at the port of Pivdennyi.

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Kyiv Targets Wildberries Logistics and Energy Hubs

As Moscow pressures Ukraine’s energy grid, Kyiv has maintained a counter-campaign directed at the commercial infrastructure underpinning the Russian war effort. Ukrainian forces have systematically targeted warehouses operated by Wildberries, frequently described as the Amazon of Russia.

Multiple drones targeted a Wildberries logistics facility in Yekaterinburg, located roughly 2,000 kilometers from the frontline, igniting large fires. Wildberries confirmed the attack, stating that the facility was evacuated beforehand and that flames had been contained. The strike marks the continuation of an offensive launched in mid-July, during which Kyiv has struck at least 20 company sites, resulting in 13 deaths, fires, and destroyed inventory. While Ukraine argues that Wildberries supports the war effort, both Moscow and the company deny the accusation.

Photo: abc.net.au

The broader economic conflict has also targeted energy infrastructure on both sides. Ukraine asserts that a 40-day strike spree has hit 14 refineries, several oil depots, loading terminals, 14 aircraft, and four airfields. In response, Russian strikes hit seven oil and gas production facilities in eastern Ukraine, destroying critical equipment. Acting Naftogaz CEO Sergiy Fedorenko warned that Russia is systematically attacking Ukraine’s oil and gas production sector to inflict maximum damage ahead of winter.

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Diplomatic Maneuvers and the Patriot Missile Question

Amid the intensifying military exchanges, President Zelenskyy traveled to Serbia for his first official visit, aiming to discuss expanding economic ties and European Union relations with Belgrade, a traditional Moscow ally and natural gas partner.

The diplomatic push follows high-level talks between President Zelenskyy and United States President Donald Trump regarding domestic production licenses for Patriot air defense interceptors. While Mr Trump stated that Washington would have to be very careful regarding the transfer of production licensing, Ukrainian leadership continues to press international partners for the air defense capabilities required to counter daily ballistic missile barrages.