Putin Orders Rebuild of Warehouses Hit by Ukrainian Drones

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to launch a program to rebuild commercial warehouses damaged or destroyed in Ukrainian attacks. Since 18 July, Ukraine has carried out drone strikes on at least two dozen warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer.

The attacks caused explosions and fires, destroying a significant portion of the company's storage capacity. Putin did not mention Wildberries by name, but said several logistics facilities need to be rebuilt with state involvement, and tasked the government with preparing the relevant program.

"It is essential to ensure that the restoration of damaged facilities is carried out at a qualitatively new technological level", Putin said at a meeting of ministers and business representatives on the economy.

Putin also said the economy is growing modestly despite Western sanctions and Ukrainian attacks on industrial and infrastructure facilities. According to him, the attacks have caused damage but have not led to critical consequences, nor could they have done so.

Ukraine says the attacks are intended to raise the cost to Russia of continuing the war Moscow launched in February 2022. Ukrainian cities, ports and logistics centers are also targets of Russian attacks.

(Reuters, lud)