Kathmandu— Multiple Ukrainian drone strikes on Wednesday killed at least three people and ignited a large fire that completely destroyed a major warehouse belonging to Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, located in the Tambov region. Attacks also damaged industrial facilities in the Nizhny Novgorod region, while casualties were reported in Lipetsk and Belgorod regions. Ukraine has increasingly targeted logistics infrastructure within Russia since mid-July, alleging some companies play a role in supplying Russia’s military.

Wildberries Warehouse Fully Destroyed

Tambov Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov stated the Wildberries logistics center near Kotovsk was “completely destroyed by fire.” The facility, covering approximately 100,000 square metres (1.1 million square feet) – equivalent to 14 football pitches – caught fire following a drone strike overnight. One person sustained injuries in the attack, according to Pervyshov’s Telegram messaging app post; it remains unclear if the fire has been fully extinguished.

Widespread Drone Attacks Reported

The Tambov region was not the sole target of Ukrainian drones on Wednesday. An industrial facility in the Nizhny Novgorod region also sustained damage, as reported by its regional governor. In Lipetsk, a man and a 14-year-old were killed when a falling drone ignited a fire, while a woman died in a separate attack in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, according to local authorities quoted by Reuters.

Ukraine Targets Logistics Networks

Ukrainian drone strikes against Wildberries facilities began in mid-July and have recently expanded to include Ozon, another major Russian e-commerce retailer. These two companies are dominant players in a rapidly growing segment of the Russian economy, which has otherwise stagnated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine alleges that Wildberries is involved in supporting Russia's military supply chain, an accusation both Moscow and the company deny, maintaining their facilities serve civilian purposes.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence claims its air defense systems intercepted 426 Ukrainian drones overnight, including those targeting Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. Both sides continue to assert they do not intentionally target civilians despite escalating strikes and increasing casualties.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.