Russia's businesses under strain from Ukraine's attacks on Wildberries

What the report says

BBC News Russian reports that Ukrainian drone strikes have hit four warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, within several days, damaging a major marketplace used by Russian consumers and small businesses. The first attacks struck facilities in Elektrostal, east of Moscow, and Kotovsk in the Tambov region, about 400km from Ukraine’s border. BBC reported that seven night-shift workers were killed in Kotovsk and one person was fatally wounded in Elektrostal, with dozens injured and goods estimated at about £750m ($1bn) destroyed.

Further strikes overnight into Wednesday targeted Wildberries logistics hubs in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk in Stavropol region. Kyiv said it was hitting logistics sites used to supply sanctioned parts for drone production and navigation equipment, while President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was bringing the war back to Russia. The Kremlin has denied that online platforms are used to supply the military, and BBC noted there is no independent confirmation that the targeted warehouses held such goods.

The attacks matter because Wildberries and rival Ozon function largely as marketplaces, storing and delivering products for independent sellers rather than selling mostly their own inventory. BBC spoke to traders who said they lost stock worth around 1m to 1.4m roubles, and reported that Wildberries had recently added drone attacks to force majeure events for which it is not liable. Owner Tatiana Kim said the company would not abandon sellers and offered some fee relief.

BBC placed the strikes in the wider context of Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign against Russian logistics and energy infrastructure, following repeated Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, warehouses and cargo terminals since the 2022 invasion. The report also said Russian small and medium-sized businesses are already under pressure from higher taxes, inflation, internet disruptions and fuel shortages.