Ukraine Strike Moscow: 'Russia's Amazon' Warehouse Hit

Ukrainian drones struck two major warehouse complexes belonging to Wildberries, the online retailer often called "Russia's Amazon," on Saturday, killing seven people and sending thick black smoke over the Moscow region.

The largest hit landed on a logistics base in Elektrostal, about 36 miles east of the Kremlin. The fire was one of the biggest of the war, with smog reported in parts of Moscow.

The blaze was visible more than 30 miles away. Officials said one person was killed and 37 injured at the Elektrostal site.

A second strike hit a Wildberries warehouse complex in Kotovsk, in the Tambov region, about 270 miles southeast of Moscow. Seven night shift workers were killed and at least 25 wounded, according to the source report.

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Cars were engulfed in flames near the Tambov complex. Tambov regional governor Yevgeny Pervyshov called the attack a "premeditated terrorist attack against civilians."

A separate strike set an oil hub depot in Noginsk on fire. A nearby maternity hospital was evacuated.

There were reports that Ukraine used jet drones in the attacks. Russia said almost 400 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight.

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The two hits on Russia's largest online retailer are part of Ukraine's campaign to make Russian citizens feel the consequences of the war. Analysts say the strikes are also a response to Russian attacks on postal hubs in Ukraine.

Ukraine continued its campaign against Russian oil tankers and supply ships, with 13 hit overnight, mostly in the Black Sea.

The pro-Ukrainian channel Exile+ said the raids were "probably the best night in a long time."

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"Finally, counter-actions against logistical hubs controlled by the Russians have begun," the channel added. "There are far more of these hubs in Russian-controlled territory than there are in ours. They all need to be destroyed."

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader and close Putin ally, called for direct revenge strikes on NATO states.

"You just set the task, and we will take care of the rest," he told Putin. He said Western states supplying Ukraine should "smell the scent of TNT."

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"It's time to open fire, and it's not that difficult," Kadyrov said. "All this satanic scum only understands the language of force."

The strikes came as Vladimir Putin moves to allow jailed mafia gangsters and organised crime members to fight in the war, as he tries to deal with a recruitment crisis.

Members of gangs and armed groups will be allowed to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defence and be sent to the front. It would be the first time mafia and armed gang members fight in the war.

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The Moscow Times reported that those convicted or accused of smuggling weapons and drugs, theft of nuclear materials, organising illegal migration and taking part in "undesirable" organisations will also be able to sign contracts.

The measure is enabled during periods of mobilisation, martial law or wartime. Russia is now losing an estimated

Source: Daily Mail