Ozon, one of Russia's largest online retail platforms, reported today that two of its logistics facilities in Ufa and Orenburg were targeted by drone attacks, underscoring growing security challenges in cities deep inside Russian territory.
Fortunately, no fires broke out as a result of the strikes, and the Orenburg center has already resumed normal operations, while the timeline for restarting the Ufa facility has not yet been disclosed.
The Ukrainian side has not officially commented on the statement, although Kyiv has previously struck warehouses belonging to another major online retailer, Wildberries, on multiple occasions, claiming those facilities were used to supply the Russian military—claims that Wildberries has consistently denied.
It remains unclear whether Ozon's centers are also being used for military purposes or whether the attacks were purely symbolic in nature, but it is evident that the security of civilian infrastructure in major Russian cities is becoming increasingly vulnerable.
This incident shows that security for civilian infrastructure in Russia's major cities is no longer guaranteed, and the war's impact is gradually seeping into everyday life, reaching even the country's hinterlands. Crucially, while the cases involving Ozon and Wildberries are similar, there is a fundamental difference: Ozon has not denied that its facilities may have military significance, whereas Wildberries has always categorically rejected such claims.
In the coming days, it will be worth monitoring official updates on the restart of the Ufa center, as well as the Russian authorities' response, because if it is confirmed that these facilities do indeed serve the military, they could be considered legitimate military targets; if not, then this would be a serious incident affecting civilians, raising highly sensitive questions under international law.
