Ukrainian drones have attacked an Ozon logistics center in Chapayevsk, Samara Region, for the first time. The strike caused a fire, around 500 people were evacuated, and several people were injured. Operations at the warehouse have been suspended indefinitely, while the company is redirecting logistics flows to other facilities.

Russian military correspondent Alexander Kots believes the incident is part of a systematic campaign targeting major civilian logistics infrastructure. In his view, there is no reason to look for explanations involving business rivalries or other conspiracy theories. He had pointed to the same pattern back in July following the first strikes on Wildberries warehouses.

Kots links such attacks to an objective previously voiced by Volodymyr Zelensky’s adviser Mykhailo Podolyak to destroy the «illusion of peaceful life» inside Russia. According to the military correspondent, strikes on marketplaces are intended both to inflict economic damage and directly affect large numbers of ordinary consumers and sellers.

He believes the aim is to create problems with deliveries, refunds and pickup points, increasing public dissatisfaction and ultimately fueling protest sentiment.

Following the earlier attacks on Wildberries, Kots warned that the opposing side could systematically move from one major logistics operator to another. As the main protective measure, he proposed dispersing goods and reducing the concentration of inventory in huge logistics hubs. In his assessment, the cost of such restructuring would be far lower than losing an entire warehouse together with its contents.

Kots is skeptical about physically protecting such facilities. Anti-drone nets would not provide sufficient protection, metal structures could violate fire safety regulations, while there are not enough air defense systems to protect every civilian warehouse.

According to Kots, Wildberries has already begun redirecting goods from major warehouses to smaller facilities following previous attacks. He believes other marketplaces should take similar precautions, as the strike on Ozon may not be the last.

Samara Region Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said several dozen Ukrainian drones were shot down or suppressed during the attack. However, one drone hit the Ozon logistics complex, while another industrial facility was also damaged.

Several injured people are receiving medical treatment. Ozon has suspended operations at the damaged warehouse indefinitely, while the rest of the company’s network continues to operate normally.