Brovdi: Wildberries strikes aim to disturb Russian public

Ukrainian forces plan to target Wildberries warehouses in an attempt to sway Russian citizens to advocate for peace rather than continuing the conflict, according to Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces. Speaking to the Associated Press on August 10, Brovdi emphasized that Wildberries operates as a supply platform for Russian troops, functioning as the war’s quartermaster.

The strikes are intended to force ordinary Russians to confront the realities of war firsthand, with the hope that their desire to end the conflict will diminish Russia’s capacity to sustain the fighting. Brovdi likened Wildberries to a consumer "gambling addiction," stating that the loss of access to the marketplace, similar to Kremlin-imposed restrictions on social media, is an intrusive imposition on the personal lives of most Russians.

He noted that the strikes will persist until the company is unable to swiftly restore its supply chains, serving as a sensitive indicator of the comfort of Russia’s vast population who perceive themselves as unaffected by the aggressor country’s actions.