Summary
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A warehouse belonging to Wildberries – often called “Russia’s Amazon” – has caught fire after an apparent Ukrainian drone strike
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The warehouse is in the Vladimir region, about 180 kilometres (112 miles) east of Moscow
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Ukraine has carried out a series of strikes on Wildberries sites in recent weeks, saying the hubs are used to supply the Russian military – something Russia denies
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Ukraine’s President Zelensky has previously said attacks on Russian infrastructure, well away from the front lines of the war in Ukraine, are “bringing the war back home to Russia”
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‘We are bringing the war back to Russia’, Zelensky previously saidpublished at 08:56 BST
Image source, ReutersImage caption, Ukraine’s President Zelensky, pictured in Washington DC last month
Ukraine has now hit at least a dozen Wildberries warehouses in Russia since mid-July.
Most are located across western Russia, away from the front lines of the war in Ukraine.
In the past two weeks, strikes have hit locations including Khryastovo, Novosemeikino, Sarapul, Ryazan and Shushary. Previous strikes include attacks on Elektrostal, Tambov, Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk.
It’s part of a recent campaign by Ukraine of long-range strikes against Russian infrastructure – including energy facilities, as well as Wildberries warehouses.
Kyiv has described the warehouses as legitimate targets that “supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment” for the Russian military.
Following strikes at the end of July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “We are, quite justly, bringing the war back home – to Russia.”
The Kremlin has denied that online platforms are used for army supplies, but a variety of military-related goods such as body armour are on sale, alongside items with both civilian and drone-production applications.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Smoke billows at a Moscow oil refinery on 18 June, after a Ukranian drone strike
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Russia hits three ships in Ukraine’s part of Black Sea – Russian defence ministrypublished at 08:42 BST
Russia has hit three ships carrying military goods in Ukraine’s part of the Black Sea, and one cargo vessel in the port of Mykolaiv, according to Russia’s defence ministry.
The defence ministry says in a statement on Telegram that Russian drones have continued to launch strikes against the transport infrastructure of Ukraine overnight.
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Three killed in Ukrainian strikes on Crimea, says Russian governorpublished at 08:39 BST
As well as the apparent Ukrainian strike on a Russian warehouse in the Vladimir region, both sides are reporting other attacks,
In Russia-controlled Crimea, three people have been killed and two others injured in a Ukrainian attack, according to the region’s Russia-installed governor.
In a statement on Telegram, Sergei Aksyonov says he sends his condolences to the families of those killed in the “barbaric attack”, and adds that the authorities will provide assistance to those who are injured.
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Another apparent Ukrainian drone strike on ‘Russia’s Amazon’ injures threepublished at 08:28 BST
Image source, Social mediaA fire at a warehouse belonging to Russia’s biggest online retailer, caused by a drone strike, has left three people injured, a regional governor says.
Alexander Avdeyev says the facility in Russia’s Vladimir region has been damaged and people have been evacuated. The warehouse owner, Wildberries, says firefighters are working at the scene.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has hit a number of Wildberries logistics hubs, describing them as legitimate targets because they provide the Russian military with drone components, navigation equipment and other gear.
Reports of the strike come as Russia claims to have hit three military cargo ships belonging to Ukraine in the Black Sea.
Meanwhile, Crimea’s Russia-appointed governor Sergei Aksyonov is reporting three casualties from overnight strikes in the region.
We’ll have all the news and analysis from across the region on this page.
Image source, TelegramImage caption, Smoke rises at a Wildberries logistics hub in the Ryazan region of Russia following a Ukrainian strike on 29 July
Original source: https://www.bbc.com/
