421. Retail Under Fire: Drone Strikes, Oligarch Warnings, and a New Ukrainian Commander

Hosts Roger Moorhouse and Patrick Bishop return to discuss the latest critical developments in the war, starting with a major strategic shift in Ukraine's drone targeting.

The hosts break down Ukraine's long-range strikes against distribution centres belonging to Wildberries—Russia’s largest online retailer—which have left facilities destroyed, killed nine people, and caused widespread economic disruption. While Russian sources denounce the strikes as terrorism, Ukrainian sources and President Zelenskyy maintain that the retailer forms a key part of Russia's military supply chain, distributing items like body armour, drone parts, and sanctioned electronics.

The hosts also examine the ongoing political and military drama at the top of Ukraine's armed forces. Following public backlash over the sacking of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has also been removed and replaced by Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, a modern, reform-minded commander.

Highlights:

• Strikes on Wildberries: How Ukrainian drone attacks on major warehouses near Moscow, Tambov, and Podolsk hit Russia’s consumer economy and military logistics.
• Economic Backlash: The financial strain on a million Russian entrepreneurs whose contracts failed to cover drone damage, driving up broader inflationary pressures.
• Oligarch Breaks Ranks: Why Russian industrialist Andrei Melnichenko’s interview with The Economist warning of looming disaster may actually be a Kremlin-approved piece of disinformation.
• Change at the Top: The removal of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and the appointment of Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, known for his actions in Mariupol and Kharkiv.
• French Cyber Warning: France’s firm stance against persistent FSB cyberattacks on its institutions, authorizing active countermeasures ahead of its 2027 presidential elections.
• Listener Q&A: Discussions on cyberattacks versus physical drone strikes on petrol stations, Western geopolitical moves in the Middle East, and the strategic leverage surrounding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at [email protected]

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Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast

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