Ukrainian drones struck two logistics hubs of Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, in Kotovsk (Tambov Oblast) and Elektrostal (Moscow Oblast) overnight July 17-18, killing at least eight civilians and injuring dozens in what CNN called the deadliest Ukrainian attack inside Russia in two years. Russian business press put the losses above 100 billion rubles (roughly $1.3 billion).
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the strike, describing the warehouses as major logistics facilities used to move sanctioned components for drones and navigation equipment, and calling it retaliation for Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any military use and called the attack terrorism.