Ukraine has escalated its strategy by targeting Russia's largest online retailer, Wildberries, with drone strikes aimed at disrupting the national economy and impacting public morale. These attacks, which began in July and have continued for over a month, have struck approximately 20 Wildberries facilities across Russia, from Moscow and St. Petersburg to cities in the Ural Mountains.
The assaults have focused on the company's vast warehouses, leading to billions of dollars in merchandise being destroyed. These strikes represent a shift from targeting military or industrial sites to hitting infrastructure that directly affects daily consumer life.
Wildberries, founded in 2004 by Tatyana Kim, is Russia's leading e-commerce platform, handling about half of all online orders. The company serves an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 sellers, who use its network of large depots for storage and distribution to over 100,000 storefronts nationwide. The destruction of these facilities has sent shockwaves through Russia's economy, impacting countless small and medium-sized businesses that rely on the platform.
Ukrainian officials suggest that Wildberries has been involved in supplying military components, a claim denied by Moscow. However, the platform has been noted to offer dual-use items like drone components and thermal sights. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated the attacks are intended to disrupt military supply chains and foster popular discontent, potentially creating a domino effect on the Russian financial system due to Wildberries' significant borrowing from major banks like VTB and Sberbank.
Analysts note that the large, unprotected warehouses are relatively soft targets. Some estimates suggest up to 20% of the company's warehouse space has been destroyed, with losses potentially reaching $6 billion. Wildberries has stated it is reinforcing its sites and rearranging supply chains, but the attacks have continued. The company has also implemented a policy change exempting it from liability for stock damaged by "force majeure" events, including drone attacks.
The strikes on Wildberries are seen as a tactic to bring the war directly into the lives of ordinary Russians, extending beyond the impact of attacks on oil refineries or military bases. While some observers believe this could provoke public discontent, others warn it might fuel anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western sentiment, potentially emboldening hardliners within Russia.