The Drone Campaign Reshaping Russia's Economy and Politics

In direct response, Wildberries is urgently seeking warehouse capacity in Kazakhstan. According to Kommersant, the company is looking for approximately 100,000 square meters of space and is prepared to lease virtually every available modern warehouse in the country . One source told the newspaper the company was ready to "take every available warehouse in Kazakhstan" . However, securing that amount of space may prove difficult. At the end of 2025, Kazakhstan had about 1.9 million square meters of modern logistics facilities, with a vacancy rate of just 5.8% . By mid-2026, available warehouse space had grown to 2.4 million square meters, but the market remains tight — no single warehouse complex in Kazakhstan currently offers 100,000 square meters of available space .

Wildberries already has 50,000 square meters of existing logistics capacity in Kazakhstan, spread across eight warehouses and sorting centers . The company is also building new distribution hubs: a facility of more than 100,000 square meters in Almaty and a 160,000-square-meter complex in Astana, with completion expected in 2027 .

The Kremlin acknowledged the severity of the situation. On July 21, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists: "The situation is indeed difficult because of the losses suffered both by the company itself and by representatives of small and medium-sized businesses" .

Oil Refinery Strikes and the Nationwide Fuel Crisis

Ukraine's drone campaign against Russian oil infrastructure has been even more extensive. Since the start of 2026, Ukrainian drones have struck Russian oil refineries at least 194 times, with peak activity in May (16 strikes) . By the end of June, eight of Russia's ten largest oil refineries had reportedly suffered damage . The International Energy Agency warned in late 2025 that drone hits would suppress Russia's refinery processing rates through at least mid-2026 .

The cumulative damage has been severe. By July 2026, Russian gasoline production had fallen to about 65% of average seasonal levels . Russia's Defense Ministry reported that strike actions had reduced refining capacity by about 42.74% of total projected capacity . A CNN analysis found that nearly all of Russia's 83 regions are experiencing gasoline shortages or supply disruptions, with many gas stations implementing rationing . The fuel crisis first emerged in Russian-occupied Crimea in May, where a state of emergency was declared and fuel sales to the public were banned on June 21 . It then spread across all 11 of Russia's time zones .

The shortages have caused hours-long lines at gas stations, station closures, and at least two reported deaths . The crisis has become "one of the most visible disruptions to everyday life for many Russians" since the war began .

How the Fuel Crisis Drove Putin's Approval Rating to a Wartime Low

The fuel shortages have directly driven a steep and sustained decline in Vladimir Putin's approval ratings — the sharpest since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

In late June 2026, Putin's approval rating fell to its lowest level in eight years . State-run pollster VTsIOM recorded a second consecutive weekly decline in early July, with disapproval rising . By mid-July, the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) recorded a 5-percentage-point drop in a single week — from 71% to 66% — the steepest weekly decline since the invasion began . Disapproval hit 16%, the highest level since the war started .

Multiple polls confirm the fuel crisis as the primary driver. Gasoline shortages topped public concerns for consecutive weeks . The independent Russian investigative outlet Agentstvo reported that "the defining event of the week for most Russians was a gasoline shortage and rising fuel prices" . By July 12, VTsIOM data showed Putin's approval rating had fallen for a fourth consecutive week to 65.1% — the lowest point since the invasion began . Presidential disapproval reached 23.4% .

Summary: The Causal Chain

Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries → reduced refining capacity and gasoline production → widespread shortages and rationing across almost all Russian regions → sharp decline in Putin's approval ratings.

Separately: Drone strikes on Wildberries warehouses → disruption of Russia's largest e-commerce logistics network → the company urgently seeking alternative warehouse capacity in Kazakhstan.

Both tracks are unfolding simultaneously in July 2026, compounding economic and political pressure on Russia. The strikes have brought the war closer to millions of ordinary Russians, damaging both the country's energy supply and the e-commerce infrastructure that serves as the backbone of its consumer economy .