Why Ukraine is targeting Russian retail giant Wildberries
Ukrainian drone strikes have significantly damaged the logistics infrastructure of Wildberries, Russia's largest e-commerce retailer. Ukraine justifies the attacks by claiming the company supplies military equipment to the Russian armed forces.
Why it matters
The targeting of a major civilian e-commerce hub highlights the blurring lines between commercial infrastructure and military supply chains in the ongoing conflict.
Not many people may have heard of Wildberries in the West.
The online retailer, set up in 2004 by entrepreneur Tatyana Kim, accounts for about one-third of Russia's e-commerce market.
It is a sector that accounts for just over 8% of the country's GDP, which is similar to some big European economies.
Ms Kim's company is estimated to be worth more than €7bn and she is Russia’s wealthiest woman.
Stories of her setting up the firm from her apartment near Moscow have led to comparisons with Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos, who set up his firm from his garage in mid-90s Seattle.
In 2025, Wildberries increased its turnover in Russia and other countries (it also operates in a number of former Soviet republics) by almost 50% compared to the previous year, according to reporting by Interfax, a Russian news agency.
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