Ryazan drone attack sets fires at Russian industrial sites
Russian officials said drones hit Ryazan industrial facilities, injuring six and forcing Wildberries to evacuate warehouses.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
A Ryazan drone attack set fire to industrial facilities in western Russia and forced retailer Wildberries to clear local warehouses, Russian officials said. The strike matters because Ukraine has been increasing attacks on industrial targets inside Russia, including sites tied to logistics and storage.
Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said on Telegram that air defences shot down 45 drones over the region overnight Tuesday. He said debris from the interceptions caused a fire in an industrial area, damaged a house and another building, and left six people hospitalised.
What happened in the Ryazan drone attack?
According to Malkov, drones were intercepted over the Ryazan region and falling fragments started a fire at an industrial site. Authorities also reported damage to civilian property and injuries requiring hospital treatment.
Wildberries, a major Russian online retailer, evacuated its warehouses in the area after the attack, according to authorities cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters. The company has been among the targets of recent Ukrainian strikes, with Kyiv accusing it of helping supply the Russian army, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported.
Wildberries and local authorities said drones have damaged at least seven of the company’s warehouses in recent days. They said the damage destroyed about 10 percent of the retailer’s storage capacity, disrupted operations and caused losses for tens of thousands of small businesses that sell goods and services through the platform.
Where else were attacks reported?
Russian regional Governor Yury Slyusar said a woman was killed and a man was injured in Taganrog, a Russian city on the Sea of Azov, after missile debris struck an apartment building. The city has industrial facilities and a grain terminal.
Ukrainian authorities reported casualties from Russian attacks in Ukraine. In Kherson, local officials said a Russian drone strike killed one man and wounded three other people.
In Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, the head of the local military administration said five people, including a child, were injured. He said Russia carried out dozens of attacks using drones, aerial bombs and artillery.
What is happening around the Black Sea and Sea of Azov?
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its drones struck two vessels carrying weapons and military equipment east of the Ukrainian port of Odesa. Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that both Russia and Ukraine have increasingly targeted ships in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in recent weeks, contributing to lower oil and grain supplies in the region.
Ukraine’s acting defence minister, Yevhenii Khmara, said in an interview Wednesday that Ukraine cannot match Russia “punch for punch” and must use its resources carefully in an “asymmetric” way. The comment came as Ukraine continues to rely on drones and long-range strikes to pressure Russian military and industrial systems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met United States President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. They discussed plans for Ukraine to produce Patriot missile interceptors, which Ukraine uses against Russian aerial attacks, and a possible revival of peace talks with Russia.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.