Ukraine's Drone Strikes Hit Russia's Biggest Online Retailer, Shaking Thousands of Small Businesses

Ukraine's expanding drone campaign deep inside Russia has struck Wildberries, the country's largest online marketplace, in a series of attacks that have disrupted supply chains, damaged warehouses and dealt a severe blow to thousands of small businesses that depend on the platform.

The first strikes hit Wildberries facilities over the weekend in Elektrostal, near Moscow, and Tambov, killing eight people and injuring dozens. Fresh drone attacks followed on Wednesday, targeting warehouses in Krasnodar and Stavropol, where another person was killed and 14 others were injured.

The attacks are part of Ukraine's strategy to weaken Russia's wartime economy by targeting logistics and infrastructure believed to support the country's military operations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the targeted facilities were involved in supplying equipment and technical components for Russia's armed forces, an allegation the Kremlin strongly denies, insisting the strikes hit civilian infrastructure.

Founded in 2004 by Tatyana Kim, Wildberries has grown into Russia's dominant e-commerce platform, handling more than 52 per cent of all online orders in the country. The marketplace connects hundreds of thousands of sellers with customers across Russia, offering everything from clothing and electronics to books, household goods and travel bookings. Industry analysts estimate that between 500,000 and 800,000 sellers rely on the platform for their businesses.

The destruction of multiple warehouses has left countless entrepreneurs uncertain about the future of their inventory. Many sellers shared emotional accounts on social media, saying their goods had been destroyed in the fires, wiping out years of investment. Analysts estimate that the damaged warehouses account for roughly 12 per cent of Wildberries' storage capacity, with potential losses reaching nearly USD 3 billion.

To reduce the impact, Wildberries announced financial support measures, including lower storage fees, free transfers of surviving goods to other warehouses, discounted bank loans and compensation payments for many smaller sellers whose stock was destroyed.

The strikes also highlight a broader shift in the conflict. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, much of the fighting had remained far from everyday life for ordinary Russians. However, repeated attacks on oil facilities, transport hubs and now the country's largest online retailer have brought the realities of war much closer to home.

Analysts say that while the damage may not significantly weaken Russia's overall economy, it is likely to deepen public awareness of the prolonged conflict and raise fresh questions about its economic and human cost.