Kyiv looks for solutions against Russian ballistic missiles as Moscow intensifies strikes

Wildberries, a prominent Russian online marketplace, has become a target of Ukraine's military strikes, threatening the Kremlin's vast business empire and the livelihood of thousands of small sellers. Drones have attacked multiple Wildberries facilities, causing significant damage to the company's logistics network. Ukrainian officials claim the strikes are aimed at disrupting the delivery of components for drone production, while the company itself states its slogan "everything for the SVO" refers to Moscow's "special military operation."

Wildberries handles a substantial portion of online orders in Russia, accounting for 52% of all deliveries and serving between 500,000 and 800,000 sellers. The company's success has made its founders Russia's wealthiest family, with Tatyana Kim valued at $7.4 billion by Forbes in 2024. However, the strikes pose a significant threat to the Russian economy, as over 1.2 million square meters of Wildberries facilities have been destroyed or damaged, accounting for 17.2%–22.2% of the company's total logistics footprint.

Rebuilding these structures would cost an additional 62.5 billion–80.8 billion rubles, or $800 million–$1 billion.

The conflict over Wildberries also involves political intrigue, with the Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov emerging as a key figure. A shooting outside the company's Moscow office in September 2024 left two security guards dead, ultimately solidifying Kerimov's control over the marketplace. The deal to merge Wildberries with Russ Group, Russia's largest outdoor advertising operator, was secured through a letter from Kim and Robert Mirzoyan to Putin, who endorsed the partnership.

Meanwhile, Bakalchuk, the estranged husband of Kim, and Kadyrov, Russia's Chechen leader, struggled in their attempts to seize control of the company.