Ukrainian drones hit Wildberries warehouses, threatening small Russian sellers
Ukrainian long-range drones have repeatedly struck warehouses of Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries in recent weeks, causing major losses and putting thousands of independent sellers at risk.
Ukrainian drones have repeatedly struck logistics centers belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, in several regions over recent weeks. The latest strike occurred on August 7 in Yekaterinburg, more than 2,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, where roughly 800 employees were evacuated from a burning warehouse. No casualties were reported.
Fears of a wave of bankruptcies
Reports gathered by Ukrainian media suggest the consequences could extend far beyond the company itself. A source described as close to the Kremlin was quoted predicting a possible wave of bankruptcies among sellers using the platform, warning there are no funds available to support them and that hundreds of billions of rubles are at stake. This prediction could not be independently verified.
International outlets, citing calculations from a Russian business newspaper, reported in late July that strikes had already affected around 552,000 square meters of warehouse space — roughly a tenth of the company's total capacity — with destroyed goods valued at about 170 billion rubles. Attacks have continued since then, reaching increasingly deep into Russian territory.
Why small sellers are exposed
Wildberries functions as a vast infrastructure network where independent sellers store goods, arrange delivery and receive payments. Many purchase inventory with borrowed money, intending to repay loans from sales revenue. When goods are destroyed and compensation does not arrive quickly or in full, sellers still face loan repayments, taxes and supplier obligations, which can trigger serious financial trouble. One case cited involved a seller who lost an entire winter stock of roughly 4,000 fur coats in a warehouse fire.
The economic cost of war
Ukraine has described the strikes on logistics infrastructure as part of efforts to raise the economic cost of the war for Russia, also claiming some centers are linked to dual-use goods. Both Wildberries and Russian officials have denied such claims. The repeated strikes underscore that Ukrainian drones can now reach targets deep inside Russian territory, not just near the border.
