Why Kyiv keeps attacking Russian retail giant Wildberries
Ukraine has been striking warehouses belonging to Russia's largest online marketplace, saying the attacks disrupt Moscow's military logistics. But experts see wider risks for Russia's economy.
Ukrainian forces have been targeting a Russian e-commerce giant, Wildberries, in a series of attacks over the past few weeks. The company's warehouses have been set ablaze in Podolsk, Tver, and Salavat, with at least nine employees confirmed dead and scores injured. Wildberries, often compared to Amazon in Russia, has lost an estimated 480 billion rubles worth of goods and a third of its warehouse space.
The Kremlin denies the retailer supplies military equipment, but an analysis found tens of thousands of military and dual-use goods on the platform. Disrupting Wildberries, a major logistics hub in Russia, is seen by Kyiv as a way to impact the country's economy and bring back the conflict to Russia. The attacks have affected around 400,000 sellers and 80 million users, with many businesses forced to close.
Wildberries' CEO, Tatyana Kim, has reportedly sought government support, and VTB, one of the company's largest creditors, is preparing to absorb losses.
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