The Amazon of Russia faces a high-tech siege of drones
In short: Ozon transformed from a 1998 online bookstore into a multi-billion dollar retail giant, navigating a shift from cash-based markets to a digital powerhouse. But today, its vast logistics network is becoming a target in a modern, high-stakes theater of drone warfare.
Founded in 1998 by the software house Reksoft, Ozon evolved rapidly from a niche bookseller into one of Russia's largest online retail platforms. By 2019, it was a dominant force, and by 2020, it was ranked as the third most valuable Russian internet company by Forbes. Its growth was fueled by a 'hypergrowth' stage in 2019, where sales jumped 93% to $1.1 billion and order volumes more than doubled to 32.2 million. The company expanded its reach by acquiring various entities, including the shoe seller Sapato.ru and a stake in the e-book marketplace Litres, while also launching its own fintech services like Ozon Bank.
The company's infrastructure is massive, covering Russia's 11 time zones with over 16,000 pickup points and a fulfillment capacity of nearly 200,000 square meters. This physical footprint, built to overcome a lack of reliable third-party delivery, has now become a strategic vulnerability. In August 2026, Ozon's logistics hubs became targets of a series of Ukrainian drone strikes across multiple regions, including Samara Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, and Tatarstan. These attacks caused fires, evacuations, and temporary suspensions of operations in cities like Saratov and Belgorod.
This conflict has forced Ozon into unprecedented logistical pivots. In September 2026, the company began offering free transportation of products to warehouses in Kazakhstan to shield goods from strikes on Russian soil. The situation highlights a new era of e-commerce where the 'last-mile' delivery infrastructure is no longer just a commercial challenge, but a frontline in a geopolitical conflict, forcing a tech giant to move its inventory across international borders to ensure survival.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Ozon
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