Ukraine attacked a logistics centre of the Russian online retailer Ozon in the southern Russian republic of Adygea with drones overnight. The centre’s staff were evacuated because of the attack, the state Russian news agency Tass reported, citing the company. A fire broke out in the building and, according to preliminary information, there were no injuries. The details could not be independently verified at first, as Der Spiegel reported on Wednesday, 4 November.
It is not the first strike of this kind: in recent weeks, according to Der Spiegel, Ukraine has increasingly destroyed or damaged distribution centres of the Russian online retailers Wildberries and Ozon. For several months, the country has been systematically attacking distant targets in Russia in its defensive war, above all refineries and weapons-industry facilities. Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine since February 2022, and Ukraine is defending itself with Western help.
What Trump says about the talks
While the attacks continue, preparations for new negotiations are under way. US President Donald Trump told the British Financial Times that he was optimistic that the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia were making progress. “I think both sides have reached the point where they say: let’s make a deal,” Trump said. The first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in a long time are scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday in the United Arab Emirates, mediated by the US.
On Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. Both insisted that the Europeans must be involved in the upcoming talks on ending the Russian war of aggression. Germany is currently Ukraine’s most important supporter. Late in the evening, Zelensky wrote on the platform X that he had thanked Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for Germany’s comprehensive support. He described Europe as an important component in advancing the peace process.
Counter-strikes overnight
According to its own account, Russia again attacked numerous parts of Ukraine overnight. Two power plants in the Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions were hit, the Russian Ministry of Defence said on Telegram. A cargo ship near the port city of Odesa was also attacked. According to Ukrainian authorities, there were further attacks in the Poltava, Dnipro, Kirovohrad and Rivne regions as well as on the capital Kyiv.
Editor’s note: The details on the damage in Adygea come from the Russian company via the news agency Tass and have not yet been independently confirmed. The Russian Ministry of Defence’s account of the attacks on Ukraine has likewise not been independently verified.
