Ozon Struck by Drones, Shares Fall 12% After Attacks
Logistics facilities of Ozon, Russia's second-biggest online retailer, were struck overnight, causing fires, injuries, and a 12% drop in shares.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Ozon logistics facilities in southern Russia caught fire following overnight drone strikes.
- Ozon shares plummeted by as much as 12% on the Moscow Exchange.
- Ukraine targets online retailers alleging military supply ties, which Moscow denies.
Logistics facilities belonging to Ozon, Russia's second-largest online retailer, caught fire and suffered structural damage following overnight drone strikes across southern regions. The company confirmed that sites in Krasnodar, Dagestan, Stavropol, and Adygea were hit, resulting in several injuries and prompt worker evacuations in Adygeysk and Nevinnomyssk.
For weeks, Ukraine has targeted sites belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, arguing that the firm supplies components to the Russian military—a claim Moscow firmly denies. Meanwhile, Russia has consistently targeted Ukrainian civilian infrastructure since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, though both nations maintain they do not deliberately target civilians.
The latest wave of strikes follows an attack on an Ozon site in the Samara region on Sunday, which also left several workers injured. In Ukraine, regional head Oleg Kiper reported via Telegram that overnight strikes in the Odesa region targeted food storage and energy infrastructure, injuring five people.
Targeting major e-commerce platforms like Ozon and Wildberries brings the conflict directly to the daily lives of ordinary Russians. In remote areas lacking physical retail stores, residents rely heavily on these platforms for clothing and household goods, meaning market disruptions ripple directly through the civilian consumer base and independent third-party sellers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Unlike Amazon, which sells goods directly alongside marketplace operations, Ozon and Wildberries act primarily as marketplaces connecting independent sellers with buyers across Russia. Consequently, many financial losses from warehouse damages are absorbed by third-party businesses rather than the platform operators alone.
Financial markets reacted swiftly as shares in Ozon fell by up to 12% on the Moscow Exchange on Monday morning, while shares in major shareholder AFK Sistema dropped nearly 13%. When questioned about state intervention, the Kremlin stated it is working with business representatives to develop support options for the difficult situation.
Source: BBC World
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment