Ukrainian drone attacks were launched against multiple Russian regions overnight, targeting the Russian online retailer Wildberries, oil refineries, and killing at least three people. The operations, which are supported by US intelligence, came after President Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington.
Photos from social media show a fire at a Wildberries warehouse in Russia’s Ryazan Oblast following a drone attack, and Russian officials said that the facility was evacuated. At least six people were wounded in the region, though it’s unclear if they were hurt during the attack on the Wildberries facility.
Wildberries, which has been compared to the US online retailer Amazon, has become a frequent target of Ukrainian drones in recent weeks. A July 18 attack on a Wildberries warehouse in Russia’s Tambov Oblast killed six people.
Ukrainian officials claimed that drone attacks on Wednesday hit an oil refinery in Ryazan and one in Russia’s Perm Oblast, more than 900 miles from Ukraine, but while attacks were reported in both regions, Russian officials haven’t confirmed that oil facilities were hit.
Local officials said that a woman was killed in Taganrog, southern Russia, by drone debris and that one man was injured. In Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, officials said that two civilians were killed by Ukrainian drone attacks.
As Ukraine has escalated its drone attacks in Russia, Russian forces have escalated missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, leading to a spike in civilian casualties on both sides. According to The Associated Press, Russian glide bombs targeted Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region on Wednesday, wounding at least 11 people.
