UKRAINIAN DRONES HIT OZON WAREHOUSE AND RUSSIAN OIL SITE

Developing story: Casualty figures, refinery damage, company operations and Russian retaliation may change as officials update reports.

Ukrainian drones killed at least eight civilians in Russia overnight and hit a warehouse owned by online retailer Ozon, along with an industrial facility in the Samara region, Russian regional officials said Saturday. Reuters reported that Ukraine’s military said it struck the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery, causing a fire.

The Ozon strike is notable because it is the first reported Ukrainian strike on the company after weeks of attacks on the larger Russian online retailer Wildberries. Ukraine has presented attacks on major logistics and economic infrastructure as part of a campaign to weaken systems it says support Russia’s war effort.

Ozon said work at its logistics center in Chapayevsk was halted after the strike, which it said caused injuries. In the Samara region, Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said an elderly woman was killed in a strike that damaged industrial facilities. The full extent of damage at the refinery and warehouse remained unclear.

Other Russian regions also reported casualties. The governor of Krasnodar said three people, including two children, were killed in a strike on the Sea of Azov port town of Yeysk. Belgorod reported two dead and 13 wounded, while Bryansk reported four wounded. Moscow-installed officials in Luhansk also reported civilian deaths and injuries.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it downed 457 Ukrainian drones overnight, according to Reuters. Interception claims in large drone waves are difficult to independently verify, but the scale points to Ukraine’s growing reliance on mass unmanned attacks to reach deep into Russian territory.

The campaign is producing a widening economic impact. Ukrainian drones have targeted refineries, depots, logistics warehouses and transport hubs, contributing to fuel shortages and domestic pressure inside Russia. Moscow has answered with intensified attacks on Ukrainian cities, railways, energy sites and commercial areas.

What is confirmed is that Russian officials reported casualties and damage from overnight Ukrainian drone attacks, including at Ozon and in the Samara region, while Ukraine said it hit an oil refinery. What remains unresolved is the full damage, the number of drones that reached targets and whether Russia answers with a larger strike wave on Ukraine.

Fact-check date: August 22, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Reuters; Russian Ministry of Defence; Armed Forces of Ukraine. Developing note: Casualty figures, refinery damage, company operations and Russian retaliation may change as officials update reports.