By The Moscow Times | Created at 2026-08-13 08:45:19 | Updated at 2026-08-13 10:24:39
1 hour ago
Ukrainian drones targeted a logistics hub owned by Wildberries and caused a fire at one of Russia’s largest oil refineries in the republic of Bashkortostan Thursday, according to regional officials and exiled news outlets.
Regional head Radiy Khabirov said 16 drones were shot down over the city of Salavat and five others over the nearby Chishminsky district. They are located around 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) east of Moscow and more than 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
“Two people were injured in today’s attacks. Both are in hospitals receiving all necessary care,” he wrote on Telegram.
Khabirov said falling debris sparked a fire in an “industrial area.” Exiled media outlet Astra identified the site as the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery, which accounts for 2.7% of Russia’s total refining throughput and which halted operations after being damaged in an attack last month.
Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, said a fire broke out at another “industrial zone” that houses one of its facilities. It noted that staff had been evacuated in advance and that no retail merchandise was being stored there.
Khabirov said a Ka-32 firefighting helicopter was deployed to help ground crews extinguish the blaze in the Chishminsky district where the logistics hub is located.
Astra said construction of the complex totaling 186,800 square meters was not yet complete.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems intercepted 362 Ukrainian drones across 18 Russian regions and annexed Crimea between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
The drone barrage caused temporary flight suspensions and restrictions at regional airports in the southern cities of Ufa, Kazan, Samara and Krasnodar.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
