Russian War Patience Frays as Ukraine Drones Destroy 25% of Wildberries Storage

1 articles · Updated · The Christian Science Monitor · Aug 19

Levada polling shows strain deepening inside Russia: 57% now call the political situation “tense,” up 10 points in just over a year, while life-satisfaction has fallen to 47%, near record lows.
Ukrainian drone strikes are bringing the war into Russia’s interior, hitting refineries and consumer logistics hubs; since July, attacks have destroyed an estimated 25% of Wildberries storage capacity and billions of dollars in goods.
That damage is hitting Russia’s roughly 7 million small-business owners especially hard, as many depend on Wildberries and Ozon to sell nationwide and now face lost inventory, compensation delays and possible bankruptcy.
The Kremlin this week also removed Yabloko—the only openly anti-war party—from next month’s Duma election, a move its founder says reflects official concern that demand for peace is stronger than expected.
Even so, anti-war sentiment remains constrained rather than dominant: more than 70% still support Russian forces, nearly two-thirds want peace talks, but only a quarter back concessions and half favor tougher military pressure.