Putin Humiliated as Wave of Attacks Devastates New Target

POOL New / REUTERS Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing a mounting wall of crises at home and abroad as a relentless wave of Ukrainian drone strikes inflicts heavy damage on his country’s critical economic infrastructure.

Four logistics hubs owned by Russia’s second-largest online retailer, Ozon, were targeted in strikes across southern Russia overnight into Monday, bringing the total number of hit facilities to six since Saturday, according to the Kyiv Post .

Ozon confirmed a fire erupted at its Makhachkala facility in the Dagestan Republic, injuring several people and forcing the hub to halt operations completely.

Workers at warehouses in Adygeysk and Nevinnomyssk were forced to evacuate, while a large fire broke out at its facility in Enem in the Krasnodar region.

Ozon said its facilities in Adygeya and Stavropol escaped damage.

The financial fallout across the Russian economy intensified as Ozon shares plunged nearly 30 percent after the drone strikes.

Ozon shares fell as much as 29 percent on the Moscow Exchange, from Friday’s close of 2,979 rubles to 2,112.50 rubles, before partially recovering.

Shares in major shareholder AFK Sistema fell more than 17 percent, while the benchmark Moscow Exchange Index was down 2.59 percent by late morning.

The strikes coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day, marking 35 years since the nation declared independence from the Soviet Union.

In Krasnodar—155 miles from occupied Berdiansk and 227 miles from Ukrainian-held territory near Orikhiv—a facility belonging to home goods retailer Kuchenland caught fire.

Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev claimed that falling drone debris struck a childcare center, killing two children and injuring seven others alongside two adults, while also setting fire to residential buildings, apartment blocks under construction, and nearby warehouses.

In occupied Crimea, four separate strikes sparked a massive fire at a military radar tracking unit.

The offensive against Ozon follows a strategic campaign launched weeks ago against Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, which Kyiv accuses of supplying components to the Russian military.

On Aug.