Wildberries attacks: Why Ukraine is targeting strikes on Russia's biggest online retailer
Since mid-July, Ukrainian forces have been systemically attacking logistics centres operated by Russia's biggest marketplace retailer, Wildberries.
It is Russia's equivalent of Amazon, although it is not solely a civilian marketplace as it sells a wide range of dual-use products, including drones and other equipment with potential military applications.
BFBS Forces News spoke to Chris York, War Editor at the Kyiv Independent who is based in Ukraine, and he explained how Russian troops had been using the retailer to purchase military equipment and supplies.
He said: "If you go on the Wildberries website and you type in something like body armour or combat helmet or fibre-optic cable for FPV drones, all things that Russian soldiers can use in the war against Ukraine, you'll get a load of options there for purchasing them.
"They've actually changed it in the last couple of weeks.
"You used to be able to search for a phrase, 'things for the special military operation', and it would give you a whole list of basically military equipment."
What is the impact of destroying these warehouses?
Stopping the sale of these items means less equipment for Russian soldiers to use on the front line, potentially causing a kit or supply issue.
However, Chris argues there is also another knock-on effect, that is arguably more helpful for Ukraine.
"When these warehouses go up in flames, obviously it's not just the military equipment that goes up in flames, it's the inventory of a lot of small businesses as well," he said.
"It's had a reasonable economic impact on Russia, but it's also had a really huge psychological impact.
"The war that Russia started four and a half years ago, now, is coming home to a lot more people just by taking out these warehouses.
"And I think there's probably a part of Ukraine's leadership which is hoping that this could lead to public pressure on Putin, ahead of elections coming up.
How does this compare to other tactics?
Chris says Ukraine's targeting of the Wildberries warehouses is comparable to its attacks on Russia's oil refineries, which increased in frequency around a year ago.
"The stated goal of attacks on oil refineries is to reduce the amount of oil and gas that Russia can sell, so that it has less money to fund its war in Ukraine, but then there's also the secondary effect, which is fuel shortages in Russia", he said.
"Again, that's about making Russians feel consequences for the war that they started. I think we're just starting to see the beginning of it."
Since the attacks on Wildberries' warehouses three or four weeks ago, Chris says there have been several mass missile and drone strikes by Russia on Ukraine.
Referring to a strike earlier this week, Chris said, "It's very notable that one of the warehouses that was totally destroyed in a little town called Brovary, just outside of Kyiv, belongs to Rezeka, which is Ukraine's version of Amazon.
"This war is now essentially an aerial war ... The frontlines aren't moving."
"I think it's basically coming down to which population can essentially endure the most."
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