Ukraine drone strikes destroy 30% of Wildberries capacity, $4B in damage

Ukraine has struck at least 20 Wildberries warehouses since July 18, destroying nearly 30 percent of the retailer's warehouse space and causing $2 billion to $4 billion in damage as Kyiv escalates its aerial campaign deep inside Russian territory.

"Ukraine intends to destroy all Wildberries warehouses," Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said earlier this month, vowing continued strikes on the company's logistics centers.

The attacks have spread from Moscow and St. Petersburg to southern Russia and as far east as Yekaterinburg, more than 2,000 km from Ukraine's border. On Aug. 16, a Ukrainian drone strike hit Wildberries' largest warehouse in Koledino, covering more than 200,000 square meters, while a separate strike damaged a facility in nearby Domodedovo. Russian media estimates cited by Reuters put the destroyed warehouse space at nearly 30 percent of the company's total.

Wildberries processed roughly $75 billion in goods last year, equivalent to about 3 percent of Russia's GDP, and together with rival Ozon accounts for goods and services worth about 8.5 percent of Russia's economic output. The disruption has forced the company to reroute deliveries, prompted Russia's central bank to ask banks to restructure loans for affected small businesses, and raised concerns about Sberbank's bad-loan provisions.

Wildberries: A $75 Billion Strategic Target

Ukraine says the retailer handles dual-use goods and military-related equipment, including drone components and other technical products. Kyiv argues that disrupting Wildberries' logistics network can interfere with supplies supporting Russia's war effort. The company and Russian authorities reject the claims, with founder and CEO Tatyana Kim describing the attacks as "acts of terrorism" that affect businesses and consumers rather than legitimate military targets.

The economic toll extends beyond the retailer itself. Wildberries carries an estimated $15 billion in debt as of end-2025, according to Reuters. Associated Press estimates put total damage from the attacks at as much as $6 billion, illustrating the uncertainty surrounding the losses. The company, which also operates across Central Asia and the Caucasus, is building 260,000 square meters of warehouse capacity in neighboring Kazakhstan, while Uzbek exporters report slowed deliveries and disrupted overseas sales.

Escalation on Both Sides

The Wildberries campaign is part of a broader escalation in aerial warfare that also targets Russia's oil and gas infrastructure. On Tuesday, Moscow's mayor said Ukraine launched 620 drones at the Russian capital and surrounding areas, one of Kyiv's biggest air assaults on the region. Over the weekend, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed 822 Ukrainian drones were destroyed across the country overnight, with seven people killed in the attacks.

Russia has simultaneously intensified its own strikes on Ukraine. A missile attack on Tuesday killed 10 people in the village of Pechenihy in the Kharkiv region, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who vowed a response. The United Nations reported that civilian casualties from the war rose by nearly a third month-on-month in July.

The escalation has drawn warnings from Moscow toward London. Russia's embassy in the UK said Britain would face "consequences" for supplying drones used in long-range attacks, following reports that British-made drones were used in strikes on Russian targets. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government would support Ukraine "100 percent," while the UK has committed 150,000 drones and a 752 million pound ($996 million) funding package by end-2026.

The last time Russia issued similar warnings over Western long-range weapons was in 2022, when it threatened consequences for supplying Ukraine with long-range artillery. Those threats did not deter NATO allies from escalating their military support, and the current confrontation follows a similar trajectory.

For Russia, the attacks create a difficult balancing act: protecting major commercial infrastructure with limited air-defense resources while preventing disruption to a retail network embedded in everyday life. For Ukraine, the campaign offers a way to strike deep inside Russia while targeting infrastructure it says supports the war effort — and the economic damage is mounting.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.