Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Ozon logistics center in Orenburg
A Ukrainian drone attack reportedly struck an Ozon logistics center in the Russian city of Orenburg overnight on Sunday, according to Russian Telegram channels.
Photos and videos circulating on social media appeared to show smoke rising from a warehouse following the reported strike. Air raid alerts had been issued in the region before the incident.
The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear, and there was no immediate official confirmation of the reported attack or details on possible casualties.
Ozon, Russia’s second-largest online marketplace and a major competitor to Wildberries, has reportedly been targeted for the second consecutive night.
The first reported direct attack on an Ozon logistics facility occurred on Aug. 22 in Russia’s Samara Oblast, where Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted a logistics center belonging to the company.
Following that incident, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said systematic strikes on storage facilities holding dual-use goods were intended to disrupt Russian military operations and damage the country’s economy.
Ukrainian officials have previously justified attacks on Ozon facilities by alleging that the company sells goods that are used by the Russian military.
The reported attacks appear to mark a shift in Ukraine’s targeting strategy. After months of reported strikes against Wildberries facilities, Ukrainian forces have increasingly focused on Ozon logistics sites across Russia.
Separately, a major fire broke out overnight on Aug. 22 at a warehouse in St. Petersburg, Russian authorities said.
Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry reported that the blaze spread across an area of at least 82,000 square meters (approximately 882,000 square feet) in the Kolpino district, southeast of central St. Petersburg.
The warehouse was located in an industrial area near an Ozon logistics center.
The cause of the fire remained unclear. No air raid alerts had been declared in Leningrad Oblast, and there were no reports of explosions in the area, according to available information.
Orenburg is located in southwestern Russia near the border with Kazakhstan, roughly 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the Russian-Ukrainian border.
If confirmed, the reported strike would underscore Ukraine’s growing ability or willingness to target infrastructure deep inside Russian territory as the war continues.
Russian and Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly reported drone attacks against military, industrial and logistics infrastructure on both sides of the border, while details surrounding individual incidents are often disputed or remain unverified. (ILKHA)
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