At least three people were killed in drone attacks across Russia on Wednesday as Ukraine struck and set fire to a Wildberries warehouse in the central Tambov region, the second time the facility has been targeted since July, as well as an oil refinery further to the east.
Tambov region Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov said the blaze “completely” destroyed the Wildberries facility in the city of Kotovsk. One worker sustained a concussion from the blast wave, the governor said initially, only later to add that a second person was injured.
Wildberries said it safely evacuated all of its employees from the warehouse. It did not comment on the extent of the damage to the facility.
Videos and photos shared on social media showed a large column of black smoke rising from the warehouse and spreading across the morning sky in Kotovsk. The smoke cloud was also visible in NASA satellite images.
Local officials asked residents to avoid going outside over the next two days due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
