Ukraine war briefing: Wildberries warehouse struck by Kyiv’s drones more than 2,000km from Russian border

What Happened

Ukrainian long-range drones struck a Wildberries warehouse in Ekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, located more than 2,000km from the Ukrainian border, according to local officials and the company. Wildberries, Russia's biggest online retailer, said the warehouse was set ablaze but most merchandise was not damaged. Regional governor Denis Pasler said three drones hit the warehouse's roof, and Kremlin representative Artyom Zhoga said 800 people were evacuated without injuries. The attack followed more than a dozen other Wildberries depots struck by Ukraine in recent weeks. Separately, Russian strikes killed three people, including a child, and wounded three in Brovary district, northeast of Kyiv, according to Kyiv regional military administration chief Tymur Tkachenko. In Russian-occupied Crimea, two people were killed by a Ukrainian drone strike on an apartment building in Kerch, said Russia-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov. Russia's defense ministry also claimed its forces struck two cargo vessels in the Black Sea it said were used for Ukrainian military purposes.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The strike on Ekaterinburg demonstrates Ukraine's expanding deep-strike capability, hitting economic targets far from the front, potentially disrupting Russian logistics and morale. It highlights the war's broadening geography and the vulnerability of Russian infrastructure. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate's energy sanctions signal sustained Western economic pressure, complementing EU measures, while continued Russian attacks on civilian areas and contested narratives around incidents like the Kerch drone strike and the German drone discovery underscore the multi-domain, hybrid nature of the conflict.

Watch For

Monitor further Ukrainian long-range drone operations targeting Russian economic assets, responses from the Kremlin's security council, and implementation of U.S. energy sanctions. Diplomatic developments from Zelenskyy's Serbia visit could shift Balkan dynamics. Also watch the investigation into the explosive-laden drone found in Germany and the Russian supreme court's decision on the Yabloko party lawsuit, which may impact domestic political dissent ahead of parliamentary elections.