Precise strikes by Ukrainian drones on giant logistics hubs in Russia have not only caused billions in business losses but also triggered mass panic and a catastrophic collapse in confidence in Putin’s regime.
Kremlin dictator Volodymyr Putin / © TSN
In July, Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles successfully struck several enormous warehouses belonging to Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, in Moscow, Tambov, and the southwestern part of the Russian Federation. These targeted attacks resulted in civilian casualties, left dozens injured, and destroyed goods valued at approximately $1.9 billion.
This is reported by The Economist.
Retaliation for Ukrainian cities
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that Russian military personnel and volunteers actively use the Wildberries platform to procure drone components and body armor.
“This is a response to Russian strikes on our civilian infrastructure and on our cities and communities,” the Ukrainian leader emphasized.
These attacks represent direct retribution for the relentless Russian terror against facilities of the Ukrainian postal and logistics company “Nova Poshta,” which the aggressor cynically justified by claiming alleged military objectives.
Business losses and public panic
Millions of customers and hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs have suffered significant financial setbacks, as the company’s management, shortly before the attacks, altered contract terms and absolved themselves of responsibility for wartime risks.
“The risks are being shifted onto us. The losses are becoming ours. It will only get worse,” complains cosmetics seller Natalia Plonke.
Falling ratings and distrust of television
Against the backdrop of the war extending into Russian territory and persistent fuel issues due to strikes on oil refineries, public discontent with the authorities is rapidly escalating.
According to local survey data, the satisfaction level with government policy dropped from 45 percent in January to 21 percent in June, and the number of Russians who believe the country’s course is misguided has doubled.
Furthermore, official television channels are attempting to conceal information about Ukrainian strikes, leading to a catastrophic decline in trust in the main mouthpiece of Kremlin propaganda.
“Those black pillars of smoke have become a part of our daily lives,” admitted a Moscow resident to journalists.
It is worth noting that the Wildberries platform, whose warehouses are being targeted by Ukrainian drones, has long been one of the key companies in the Russian economy. The destruction of two of its major logistics centers near Moscow by Ukrainian drones could represent one of Russia’s most painful economic losses throughout the full-scale war.
Comments Sort: New Old Popular Send