Ukraine intensifies strikes on Wildberries warehouses, citing economic impact on Russia
Ukrainian drones have hit two major Wildberries storage sites, prompting concerns that the attacks could pressure Russia's banking sector and broader economy, while a Russian missile landed in Poland and an Ukrainian F-16 was lost.
Ukrainian forces used drones on Thursday to strike Wildberries warehouses in Penza, about 600 km from the front, and Sarapul, roughly 1,300 km away. Video footage showed flames and smoke rising from the facilities. The attacks are part of a campaign that began two weeks earlier with strikes on the retailer's first Russian depots.
Wildberries, which handles roughly half of Russia’s online commerce and hosts about 200,000 domestic sellers, has seen its storage capacity reduced by an estimated 10 percent after at least 12 warehouses were hit. Financial analyst Andriy Shevchyshyn told RBC Ukraine that sellers may have lost goods worth $1 billion to $1.3 billion, with total damage around $2 billion.
Denys Shtilerman, head of the Ukrainian drone operator FirePoint, said the raids could affect the Russian banking system because banks have financed Wildberries and its rival Ozon. He warned that VTB Bank, which recently took a 5 percent stake in Wildberries’ banking subsidiary, could face significant losses if the retailer’s operations are disrupted. > "We must now finish off Wildberries and Ozon — this is absolutely essential. It would lead to the collapse of the banking system," Shtilerman said.
In response, Wildberries removed a product category titled “Everything for the SVO” that listed military-related items, and the company altered its seller contracts to treat fires and explosions as force-majeure events, shifting losses to merchants. The retailer is reportedly seeking warehouse space in Kazakhstan to avoid further Ukrainian attacks.
Separately, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile landed near the Polish village of Tarnawa-Kolonia, creating a large crater but causing no casualties. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the missile’s Russian origin and noted that Ukrainian air defenses were prepared to intercept it.
The Ukrainian Air Force also reported the loss of an F-16 fighter after the pilot ejected during a combat mission; the pilot survived. The incident adds to the five F-16s Ukraine has lost since receiving the aircraft.
Analysts note that while the direct economic impact of the Wildberries strikes may be limited, the attacks carry symbolic weight by targeting a platform familiar to millions of Russian consumers.