Ukraine escalates Wildberries attacks to hit Russia’s second-biggest bank as missile crashes in Poland (Ukraine Battlefield update, Day 1,618)

Key Points:

• Ukrainians have intensified attacks on Russian online retailer Wildberries, targeting at least 12 warehouses and reducing its storage capacity by around 10%, potentially disrupting Russia’s military supply chain and economy.
• Wildberries, responsible for about 50% of Russia’s online commerce and linked financially to state-owned VTB Bank, faces significant losses estimated at $2 billion, which could impact the Russian banking sector if attacks continue.
• A Russian Kh-101 cruise missile reportedly landed in Poland for the first time, violating NATO airspace, though no casualties or damage occurred; Poland confirmed the missile was likely Russian and intercepted by Ukrainian forces if it had continued.
• Ukraine lost another F-16 fighter jet due to an emergency ejection during a combat mission, but the pilot survived; this marks the fifth F-16 lost, with Ukraine using these jets for air defense and ground strikes.
• Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, particularly with Geran drones, have sharply declined in July, possibly due to production issues or strategic conservation for future campaigns, while Russian advances in Donbas continue slowly despite increased pressure.