Drone strikes on Russian retail giant squeeze war-burdened small businesses
Ukrainian drone attacks on Wildberries warehouses are destroying the inventory of thousands of small Russian traders, compounding the economic strain caused by Moscow's wartime fiscal policies.
Ukrainian drones have struck a series of warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, killing at least eight workers and destroying an estimated £750m ($1bn) in goods. The attacks hit facilities in Elektrostal near Moscow, Kotovsk, and the southern regions of Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk.
Kyiv has shifted its long-range drone campaign away from oil refineries towards major logistics hubs. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes aim to disrupt supply chains for sanctioned drone components. "We are, quite justly, bringing the war back home - to Russia," Zelensky said.
Because Wildberries operates strictly as a marketplace rather than a direct retailer, the financial damage falls almost entirely on independent sellers. Wildberries and its rival Ozon are used by an estimated 85-90% of Russia's economically active population, making them critical infrastructure for small and medium-sized enterprises. To make matters worse, Wildberries added drone attacks to its "force majeure" clauses just weeks ago, shielding itself from liability.
The destruction has wiped out the stock of countless traders. One woman said she lost 1m roubles (£9,500), while a clothing seller reported losing 1.4m roubles (£13,300) and halting supplies. "The outlook for working with Wildberries is very murky. Right now I have enough of a safety cushion to survive the current losses, but if there are more strikes, I probably won't manage," the clothing seller said. Wildberries owner Tatiana Kim has offered temporary discounts and waived shipment fees, but traders do not expect direct compensation for their lost goods.
A fragile civilian economy
These attacks arrive as Russia's civilian economy shows clear signs of buckling under the weight of the war. Oil and gas revenues are 23% lower than in the first half of last year, while the budget deficit widens and inflation remains high.
Vladimir Putin has framed small businesses as a backbone of resilience against Western sanctions, but state policies have actively squeezed the sector. A VAT increase from 20% to 22% in January diverted funds to defence, tax breaks were scrapped, and 209,000 small and medium-sized companies closed in the first quarter of 2026—9% more than in the same period of 2025.
Combined with prior fuel shortages and internet shutdowns, the warehouse strikes represent another severe shock to Russian commerce. "There are already a lot of nails, and they keep hammering them in. Is [the attack on Wildberries warehouses] another nail in the coffin? Well, yes, of course," said Professor Ruben Eniklopov of Pompeu Fabra University.
