Ozon Faces Drone Strikes Amid Ukraine's Ongoing Campaign Against Russian Marketplaces

In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Ukraine's military has targeted Ozon, a prominent Russian online marketplace, for three consecutive nights. The initial strike occurred on August 22, hitting a warehouse in Chapaevsk, leading to injuries and significant fire damage.

Subsequent attacks on August 23 and 24 struck additional locations in Orenburg, Adygeysk, Nevinnomyssk, and Makhachkala, resulting in further injuries and widespread fires. Over these three days, Ukrainian forces reportedly damaged around 233,000 square meters of Ozon's storage space, approximately 6% of the company's total.

Ozon's shares plummeted by 28% on the Moscow Exchange amid the strikes, although they managed to recover some losses. This attack follows a broader campaign against Wildberries, another major Russian e-commerce platform, which has suffered extensive damage and significant operational setbacks since July 18.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry has explicitly declared Ozon the next target, framing these assaults as “long-range sanctions” aimed at disrupting Russian logistics and impacting the national economy. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Kyiv would face repercussions for its actions, suggesting that retaliatory measures would soon follow.

While Ozon had emerged as a potential beneficiary in the wake of Wildberries' misfortunes, the company is now grappling with its own vulnerabilities. In anticipation of further strikes, Ozon has taken steps to protect high-value inventory and offered alternative sales models to its sellers. However, some have criticized the company's preparedness, questioning whether it did enough to safeguard its operations.

As the situation unfolds, the fate of Ozon remains uncertain, with the Russian government yet to announce any support plans similar to those being developed for Wildberries.

Source: meduza.io