Ukraine has intensified its aerial campaign against Russia by targeting Wildberries, the country's largest online marketplace, in a series of drone attacks that have killed at least nine people and injured scores more. The strikes, which began over the weekend and continued throughout the week, have hit multiple Wildberries warehouses, including one in Crimea.
These attacks are part of Ukraine's broader strategy to undermine Russia's war effort by targeting its economy and making the conflict more tangible for the Russian populace. The Ukrainian military has stated that facilities targeted are involved in supplying equipment and components to the Russian military, a claim that Russia's Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied, accusing Kyiv of striking civilian targets.
An examination of the Wildberries website revealed items that could have dual civilian and military applications, such as body armor, helmets, and electronics, some of which were marketed with phrases indicating their use in the "special military operation," Russia's term for the war in Ukraine.
Wildberries, founded in 2004 by Tatyana Kim, has grown into Russia's equivalent of Amazon, serving as a crucial platform for hundreds of thousands of small and large businesses to sell a wide array of goods, from clothing to electronics, across the vast country. In 2023, the company operated over 200 logistics facilities, covering more than 5.2 million square meters. It also operates Wildberries Bank, which has faced sanctions from the U.K. and European Union.
Sergei Semko, a leading analyst at Data Insight, estimated that Wildberries accounts for 52% of all online orders in Russia. The recent attacks have inflicted significant damage on many of the approximately 500,000 to 800,000 sellers utilizing the platform. Reports on social media indicate that inventory stored in the targeted facilities has been destroyed, leading to substantial financial losses for entrepreneurs.
While Wildberries stated that some goods were salvaged and offered measures to support sellers, including discounts on storage fees and loans, the company's updated seller policy now exempts it from liability for stock damaged due to "force majeure," which includes drone attacks. However, Wildberries has begun making payments to sellers affected by the strike in Elektrostal.
Semko estimated that the affected warehouses in Moscow, Tambov, Krasnodar, and Stavropol regions represented about 12% of Wildberries' total warehouse space, with potential goods losses reaching as high as $3 billion. These losses compound existing challenges for Russian small businesses, including increased taxes and regulatory hurdles.
Chris Weafer, CEO of Macro-Advisory Ltd. Consultancy, noted that Russia's e-commerce sector has seen rapid growth, accounting for approximately 20% of total retail sales. The Wildberries attacks, while dealing a blow to small businesses, are unlikely to cause significant damage to the overall Russian economy, which he described as stagnant but stable. Instead, the strikes are seen as an effort to undermine public morale and stimulate discussion about the ongoing war, bringing its consequences closer to home for ordinary Russians.