How this massive online retailer, Russia’s version of Amazon, is in the Ukraine’s crosshairs
The attacks began on a July weekend and have continued for a month, stretching from Moscow and St. Petersburg, to cities in the south, and eastward to the Ural Mountains. The targets weren’t oil refineries, maritime hubs or arms plants hit by other Ukrainian strikes, but warehouses that bring the convenience of online shopping across the breadth of Russia. Ukraine’s drones have pummeled the giant…
Since July, a series of drone strikes targeting over 20 Wildberries warehouses have raged across Russia, from Moscow to the Ural Mountains. The attacks, originating in Ukraine, have burned billions of dollars' worth of merchandise and disrupted the everyday lives of millions. Founded by Tatyana Kim in a Moscow apartment in 2004, Wildberries quickly rose to become Russia's dominant e-commerce platform, handling about half of the country's online orders.
The company's expansive network of about 20 mammoth warehouses, often unsecured, made it an attractive target for Ukrainian drones. The strategy shift has exposed Russia's vulnerabilities, with losses estimated at up to $6 billion and up to 20% of Wildberries' warehouse space destroyed. The strikes have not only rattled the company but also put pressure on Russia's financial system, particularly on major banks like VTB and Sberbank.
For Kim, once the richest woman in Russia with an estimated fortune of $8.1 billion, the attacks have dealt a significant blow to her empire and the broader economy.
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